A mother leopard had a full-on brawl with a lion for the small chance of saving her babies. This was hands-down one of the bravest and most selfless acts we’ve seen in the wild, and we don’t know how she managed to do it!
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Carol and Bob were on an African adventure of a lifetime, at @andBeyondTravel Grumeti Serengeti River Lodge. However, experiencing just how serious a mother leopard’s maternal instincts were against a lion, was more than anyone could have imagined!
Like all Safaris, it started with a very early morning. Carol and Bob were met by their brilliant ranger, Godliving Shoo, who had fresh coffee, and everything ready for their drive!
Godliving knew of a leopard denning in the area and thought it would be a great time to try and spot her. Much before long, that's exactly what happened! The leopard mom was in sight, and as a huge bonus, there was visibility on her two babies as well!
This was a precious moment, but it was quickly overshadowed for everyone, by a feeling that something was off. The leopard was outside of her den, and there was a sense of paranoia; overall, she seemed very uncomfortable.
Carol explains; “The leopard was outside her den when my husband spotted a lioness crouched just a few meters away, watching intently in the same general direction. We initially thought two separate events were unfolding — the leopard and her cubs, and the lioness watching the wildebeest in the distance. But as she crept forward, we realized she was actually focused on the leopards!”
The lion crept up to striking distance, and it was all or nothing for the leopard. Being considerably smaller, the leopard was at a massive disadvantage, but with everything to lose and the instincts of a mother, she stood her ground with amazing courage!
Without a second thought, the lion leaped in to engage the leopard! The rest of the lion pride was just around the corner from the scene, but the lioness was feeling so confident, that she didn’t bother with waiting for backup! A choice that she would with no doubt, end up regretting!
The leopard jumped to meet the lioness back, and the pair locked into a grapple as they hit the ground. Once again, the lion was at an upper hand, as she landed on top, but to describe the little leopard as being ferocious, would be subtle!
The leopard kicked, bit, and tore at the underside of the lion with serious intent. It was almost overbearing, and it took the lioness by surprise! With limited options, the lion decided to bite at one of the leopard’s back feet, but it wasn’t enough!
With so much happening in the footage, it was tricky to see exactly how she did it, but the leopard managed to latch onto the lion's leg and target a soft spot. The lion's reaction made it clear how much it hurt, as she jumped away from the leopard and held out her paw like an injured puppy!
This was the moment the leopard realized she might have just saved her babies' lives! The last thing on the lion’s mind now would be the den site, and the chaos of the situation would likely distract the rest of the pride as well.
So, with the lion backed off, and her cubs given enough time to hide, the leopard took the opportunity to escape to a nearby tree. The rest of the lions arrived shortly after, and together they tried climbing up to the leopard, but just couldn’t make it to her.
Luck finally came for the leopard when one of the lions caught a nearby wildebeest from the herd seen earlier. With food now on the table, the lions quickly grew bored of the leopard, and she was able to get to her babies, who were completely unharmed!
Situations like this end with a very sad story most of the time, but this was just not that day. It took more than a small miracle, but the leopard never gave up, and she did what it took to save her babies!
It was reported that the leopard ended up moving the cubs twice that afternoon. She did seem to be exhausted but was left with only minor injuries. As for the lioness, she was left with a very sore leg but would definitely be alright too!
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