Visitors of Kruger National Park see all sorts of wild animals during a safari trip! From tigers to giraffes to lions, there’s so much to take in at this beautiful park. It seems like more and more people are catching incredible interactions between wildlife and sharing them with the rest of the world.
Today, we’re going to look at a jackal that one could describe as brave or just plain stupid. Minding her own business, a gorgeous lioness is drinking from a watering hole in the desert surrounding Kruger.
This lion must’ve blended in with the area perfectly because a jackal walks up right beside her to take a drink. The best way to describe jackals is as cunning omnivores. Together, they chase small antelopes and consume grass, fruits, berries, insects, reptiles, insects, and birds that live on the ground.
In their search for food, they will scavenge among the carcasses left by large carnivores and even visit garbage dumps. A jackal has no chance when this close to a lioness, except this one! You can visibly see the fear on this animal’s face as it runs away!
Check Your Surroundings
We can collectively let out a big exhale knowing that the jackal is safe, right? Well, as he trots along, escaping the lioness, there’s something else right around the corner. The jackal finds a small puddle to drink from, thinking he’s the only one around.
A leopard can be spotted in the tall grass behind the jackal. Leopards are expert stalkers and will cautiously get as close as 15 feet to their prey before attacking. To catch prey, which is grasped with the foreclaws and then bit on the back of the head or near the throat, they depend on shock and their muscular bodies.
Leopards are masters of seizing opportunities. Despite the fact that they are mostly nocturnal creatures, they will not pass up daytime hunting opportunities. The jackal turns around just as the large feline pounces after him.
The video ends before we can find out what happens. With the luck the jackal has had so far, we think it’s safe to assume he got away. Likely right before drinking water where an alligator lives!
One of our favorite comments on the video says, “This was a fantastic sighting of a full-bellied lioness who had already eaten and only wanted a drink of water while on the other hand, a hungry leopard close by was waiting in the mist to catch an unsuspecting prey to devour. Jackal lives another day! I agree that glasses are needed for this lucky jackal.”
Take a look at the video and other lucky jackal sightings below!
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