This female leopard almost hunts on top of a hippo hiding in the mud! She tried to hunt catfish – only to find an unexpected spectator watching closely.
Leopard hunting at night
This incredible sighting happened at MalaMala in the Greater Kruger.
Leopards are nocturnal animals for the most part and very successful when it comes to hunting. These predators are well known for their super camouflage and also greatly use this to their advantage when hunting. This leopard however was not as camouflaged as its opponent, Mr. Hippo in this case.
Leopard hunting catfish in Greater Kruger
Past and current MalaMala guides, Mike Kirkman and Pieter van Wyk, respectively, share this incredible story with LatestSightings.com:
Leopard in the mud
“This female leopard was hunting for catfish one evening, as the water holes are drying up now – heading into the dry season. Whilst hunting at night, the hippo was out of the water – or in this case – mud, as hippos forage and graze at night.”
Leopard fishing at Mala Mala
“Be careful what you fish for”
However, in the daytime, it was a different story. “Little did she know, a hippo was wallowing in the very same area.” The leopard was still carefully manoeuvering around, attempting to fish, when the next thing this massive hippo moved and announced its presence.
Hippo hiding in the mud
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This really must have been amazing to see – one can really see the insane size difference between these two African beauties!
Leopard almost hunts hippo by mistake
