Watch A Leopard Screw The Pooch And Completely Lose An Easy Warthog-Meal

Written by Sharon Parry
Updated: May 25, 2023
© ylq/Shutterstock.com
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Key Points

  • The leopard puts in all the groundwork, waiting for the perfect moment to pounce.
  • At the last moment, the cat seems to forget what it came for.
  • Within a split second, the warthog realizes what is going on and races away.

Check out this hilarious clip that captures the moment when a leopard seriously messes up a stealth attack! This superb predator would not want this footage shared though because it would damage its reputation as an accomplished hunter. Scroll down to watch the full video of how not to hunt!

Where And How Do Leopards Live?

Leopards live in Africa and Asia and spend their time in the rainforest, grassland and mountainous habitats. They are long, slim animals with powerful legs and a long tail. They use this for balance when they are in trees. As solitary hunters, they target prey from an elevated position in trees or on the ground.

Leopards typically target medium-sized prey such as deer and, as we see here, warthogs. Although, they are also happy to eat smaller animals such as birds, reptiles, rodents even dung beetles if other prey is scarce. Leopards are not too fussy about what they eat!

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leopard
Leopards are ambush and stealth hunters

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How Do Leopards Usually Hunt?

Leopards are usually a lot better than this at hunting. Their usual method is to wait and ambush the prey – their spotted coat helps them to hide. They are also good at stalking animals with great stealth, staying low to the ground where the target is less likely to spot them. The final stage is a brief but explosive charge that ends in a pounce and a fatal bite to the neck. It’s no surprise that the leopard did not give chase when the warthog ran away – that is not their method. Instead, they rely on the element of surprise.

In this encounter, however, things do not go according to plan. The leopard puts in all the groundwork, waiting for the perfect moment to pounce. Eventually, the warthog is quite close and turns its back, giving the predator an opportunity to sneak up. But at the last moment, the cat seems to forget what it came for. You can almost see the leopard thinking “Hang on mate, what is supposed to happen next?” And that is the big mistake!

Within a split second, the warthog realizes what is going on and races away. The leopard is a bit confused and looks around as if it is checking if anyone was watching. Whoops – the video has been viewed more than seven million times. How embarrassing!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9DwMkdgLYc

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The Featured Image

Javan leopard
The Javan leopard is from Java Island, Indonesia.
© ylq/Shutterstock.com

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About the Author

Sharon has a Ph.D. in Public Health but has spent the last decade researching and writing about all things connected with animal health and well being. As a life-long animal lover, she now shares her family home with three rabbits, a Syrian hamster, and a very energetic Cocker Spaniel but in the past she has also been a Mom to Guinea Pigs and several cats!She has a passion for researching accurate and credible information about pets and reviewing products that make pet owners' lives a bit easier. When she isn't checking out new pet products she's trekking around the Welsh mountains and beaches with her dog - although she lets her husband and her three grown up daughters tag along sometimes if they are lucky!

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