Image: Instagram / @jayroode
Videos and photographs that have surfaced online capture a young male leopard leaping onto the hood of a safari vehicle during a game drive in the Kruger National Park (KNP).
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The unusual sighting, which occurred within a private concession in the KNP, captures the leopard as it lands onto the head of the safari vehicle, less than a meter away from the safari guide, and but a few paces away from guests, who whip out their phones and cameras as the instance unfolds. A guide’s voice from a neighbouring vehicle narrates as the leopard makes itself comfortable on the bonnet.
The lodge told Caxton Media in a statement that this was “unusually inquisitive behaviour” from the leopard, whose two cubs were feeding on an impala nearby.
“The situation quickly escalated when the male cub moved towards the vehicle and unexpectedly jumped up. SANParks officials were immediately notified,” the statement reads, adding that such interactions are not condoned. “Our strict protocols are designed to protect both our guests and the wildlife we are privileged to observe.”
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What happened after the video ended remains unclear, reports The Citizen.
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