stefano steff romei
attack mode
savute plains, a leopard is trying to approach a kudu .
those big cats have a slow approach technique during which a minimal error makes the hunting fail.
a leopard must approach about 10/15 meters from the prey to have a good chance..it then makes a brief and an explosive charge(uo to 60kmh) ,pounching on its prey and dispatching it with bite to the neck.leopards do not have the aptitude to chase their quarry over any kind of distance.many of their preys are faster and can be caught only with an ambush.despite what we think,researchers believe that each individual leopard accounts for 20/40 kills a year.
of course if preys are small or stolen from hyenas and lions they have to hunt much more.
the leopard intraspecific natural enemies are baboons (one of the leopard favorite meal too) ,hyenas and wild dogs can steal them the preys.
but only the male lions can catch and kill easily an adult leopard.
the lion females are used to attack leopards but usually with the purpose to intimidate them.lion females are more tolerant towards other animals not considered as food.
the lion males instead have an instinct that brings them to kill all the possible competitors and they do it.
in savute there are notorius lion prides and leopards must stay always on alert.
anyway the leopard remain maybe the most beautiful african predator ,a deadly form of perfection.
"attack mode"
savute plains,botswana
original file here:
www.flickr.com/photos/187458160@N06/51098214847/sizes/o/
attack mode
savute plains, a leopard is trying to approach a kudu .
those big cats have a slow approach technique during which a minimal error makes the hunting fail.
a leopard must approach about 10/15 meters from the prey to have a good chance..it then makes a brief and an explosive charge(uo to 60kmh) ,pounching on its prey and dispatching it with bite to the neck.leopards do not have the aptitude to chase their quarry over any kind of distance.many of their preys are faster and can be caught only with an ambush.despite what we think,researchers believe that each individual leopard accounts for 20/40 kills a year.
of course if preys are small or stolen from hyenas and lions they have to hunt much more.
the leopard intraspecific natural enemies are baboons (one of the leopard favorite meal too) ,hyenas and wild dogs can steal them the preys.
but only the male lions can catch and kill easily an adult leopard.
the lion females are used to attack leopards but usually with the purpose to intimidate them.lion females are more tolerant towards other animals not considered as food.
the lion males instead have an instinct that brings them to kill all the possible competitors and they do it.
in savute there are notorius lion prides and leopards must stay always on alert.
anyway the leopard remain maybe the most beautiful african predator ,a deadly form of perfection.
"attack mode"
savute plains,botswana
original file here:
www.flickr.com/photos/187458160@N06/51098214847/sizes/o/