What happens when you trap a leopard in a tree? In this 2-minute video, you’ll see the moment a lion traps a young leopard up a tree. The poor leopard was just about to begin eating a freshly killed impala. But if this lioness has anything to say about it, the leopard will be forfeiting dinner. Follow along as we find out which big cat wins in this wildlife video.
Leopards Vs. Lions: Competing For Food
The wildlife footage opens with a young leopard carrying a freshly killed impala up a tree. The big solitary cat usually doesn’t have to worry about feeding anyone other than itself. This leopard thought it could enjoy the entire impala in peace. He couldn’t have been more wrong.
Why Is The Leopard In A Tree?
As the terrific climbers that they are, leopards take their meals into trees so they can dine in relative peace.
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Leopards carry their meals into trees so that they can eat them safely. The tree provides a great vantage point. Only a few carnivores can match the leopard’s climbing abilities.
Once they’re done feeding, the leopard leaves the carcass in the tree. Then they can return to the tree as they please to continue feeding on the carcass.
Unfortunately for the leopard in this video, things aren’t going to go as planned. While killing the impala, the prey’s screams alert a nearby lioness. The lioness hasn’t eaten in days and is ready for a fast meal. Once it smells the leopard taking its kill up into the tree, the hungry lioness knows it’s time to act!
Why Lions Climb Trees
Lions are experts at climbing trees but for different reasons. These big cats don’t care about taking their prey up high. Since they hunt in groups, lions can safely eat the prey from the ground. So, why do lions climb trees?
Agile lions love climbing trees to hang out. They’ll climb up high to survey the land for prey and to escape the heat.
In this video, the lioness climbs a tree to steal a meal. It doesn’t take long for her to scale the tall tree. Once she comes face to face with the leopard, it’s a big cat showdown!
Will the Leopard Accept Defeat?
The lioness in this video has a big advantage; she’s not alone. Lions like hunting together in groups called a pride. A pride can hunt more effectively by stalking the prey from several directions and encircling it.
The lone leopard in this video realizes that it’s outnumbered. It drops the carcass from the tree so the lions can feast on it. This allows the leopard an opportunity to escape with its life. If it didn’t give up the food, the lioness would have likely fought to the death.
Hungry lions are not someone you want to withhold food from! Watch the showdown for yourself in the footage below. Notice the moment that the leopard decides to drop the carcass; you can tell they know they lost the fight.
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