This is when visitors to the Pilanesberg Private Game Reserve saw lions attempting to hunt blue wildebeest chase a leopard up a tree.
Isa Carter, a LEOP Safaris field guide, shares her amazing tale with LatestSightings.com: We had the good fortune to see lions attempting to hunt wildebeest, which resulted in them chasing a leopard into a tree.
“We stumbled across a lion pride lounging on a termite mound as we were traveling along Tshwene Drive. After spending some time with them, the wind started to blow. We realized they were going to hunt when one lioness started smelling the air, stood up, and started moving.
“All of a sudden, we began to see the lions moving in on the wildebeest, and we were keeping an eye on one lioness in particular who was only a few meters away. She quickly leaped into the air as she chased the wildebeest. She was joined by a little cat! We recognized then that she had struck a leopard.
“The leopard was pursued by the lioness that had landed on it. She invited the rest of the pride to join her after she was seated beneath the tree. As the lions attempted to scale the tree themselves, the leopard scaled it all the way to the top.
“Frustrated at last, they went and slept down nearby where they could observe the leopard. A waiting game began as the leopard settled down in the tree.
“Once the lions had collapsed, the leopard seized her opportunity and slowly descended the tree. She checked one last time before stepping away from the tree and hurried off to safety. While seeing her leave, the lions did not get up to pursue. We then departed the sighting following this.
It’s impossible to get enough of one of these African cats, but to see them both at once…What a blessing!