Leopards, typically known for hunting antelopes and small mammals, have proven they’re adaptable predators, capable of catching anything that moves – even fish. Candice Pappin, a safari guide at Klaserie Private Nature Reserve in South Africa, recently witnessed this unusual hunting behavior firsthand.
While guiding tourists for Touched by Nature safaris, Pappin noticed a leopard repeatedly visiting a shrinking waterhole. It wasn’t long before she realized the big cat was hunting catfish.
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"I could tell he was waiting for all the fish to gather under a log in the water," Pappin told Latest Sightings. "I kept returning to check on him, knowing he would strike eventually."
Some species of catfish in Africa have adapted to survive drought conditions by entering a state called aestivation, where they slow their metabolism to last weeks in shallow, muddy water. However, this survival tactic also attracts predators when water levels drop – and this leopard had spotted his opportunity.
Pappin, eager to capture the action, returned to the waterhole multiple times. Though the leopard was present, she and her guests endured a patient three-hour wait without any action. Just as they were about to leave, two warthogs approached, prompting the leopard to take a stalking position. However, the warthogs caught his scent and escaped before he could strike.
While the leopard missed the warthogs, the sudden commotion stirred the water, sending the catfish into a frenzy – and catching the leopard’s attention. "It was like a switch flipped in him," Pappin explained. "He darted onto the log and, without hesitation, plunged his paw into the muddy water, grabbing a fish in one swift motion."
Footage shows the leopard wading waist-deep into the water, even dunking his head in pursuit of his catch. Covered in mud, the feline returned triumphant with his prize. According to Pappin, the leopard managed to catch 11 fish by the end of the day. While a few were stolen by a stork and a fish eagle, the leopard carried the rest off into the bushes, leaving some behind in the mud.
