A Leopard and Hyena Battle Over Dinner, Then Reinforcements Arrive

In the wild, claws come out and all bets are off when fresh-caught prey is up for grabs. An impressive display of teamwork caught on camera in the footage below shows just how incredible big cats can be in their natural habitat. 

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How Hyenas Behave

The hyena seems to have the worst reputation of all the wild creatures. Hyenas are certainly not graceful or charismatic, yet they are much more than just dirty thieves. Hyenas’ social behaviors are what worries people the most about them. 

In groups of up to 40, they may interact with one another and plan their moves. Because of this and the strength of their lips, they are exceedingly deadly because they can break bones with their pointed fangs.

Leopards Are Skilled Hunters

One of the rarest exotic creatures in the world is the leopard. They are members of the big cat family and are easily identified by their distinctive yellow fur and rosettes of black spots. Leopards are also ferocious hunters who consume a wide variety of animals.

Typically, leopards like to hunt at dusk. They usually stalk their food on the ground, but they can also trap their prey by diving down or they can capture other creatures by climbing up trees. The animal uses its vision, hearing, and other senses to locate its target from a distance. 

When a leopard finds its victim, it will pursue it for some time before waiting for a chance to pounce. It moves cautiously toward its prey before charging at it and suffocating it to death. One of these beautiful creatures makes a fresh catch when a pesky hyena shows up. 

Outsmarting Hyenas

Despite hyenas being sneaky and skilled, leopards have their own wits about them. They use a group tactic that involves distraction. One of the large cats will interact with the hyena, while another one stealthily grabs the fresh food and drags it away for the family to eat in peace. 

Before the hyenas realize it, the food is gone and they’re left dumbfounded. A comment left on the video reads: “Leopards one-on-one would be hard-pressed to beat a spotted hyena. Yet they formatted a plan where one would distract the hyena whilst the other made off with their kill. They are very smart and  intelligent big cats.”

Another viewer was expecting both animals to use teamwork to their advantage. They say, “I was expecting the hyena l to have an ally to team with and distract the leopard. Quite the surprise.”

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Mohamed Hakem/Shutterstock.com