A hungry leopard’s attempt to hunt an impala in South Africa’s Kruger National Park was thwarted by an alert elephant.
In a video captured by Judy Lehmberg during a tour of the park on June 7, the impala can be seen near a watering hole while the leopard quietly crouches in the grass, preparing to strike. However, just a few feet away, an elephant watches the scene unfold.
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The elephant first blows its trunk, but the focused leopard ignores the warning. It isn’t until the elephant lets out a second, louder blast and charges that the leopard realizes it has been discovered. With its cover blown, the big cat retreats.
Reflecting on the moment, Lehmberg shared, “I felt a bit sorry for the leopard missing its chance, but it was hard not to laugh. As soon as I spotted the elephant, I knew what was coming next.”
She continued, “Elephants have no tolerance for predators like lions and leopards. The leopard was so locked in on its target that it didn’t notice the elephant at first, but once it did, the hunt was over.”
Lehmberg summed up the experience by saying, “In Kruger, you can go from feeling like nothing’s happening to witnessing an incredible moment in an instant. It’s a reminder to always expect the unexpected, no matter how unlikely it seems.”
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