Watch the Tables Turn on This Leopard After Catching a Baby Warthog

Key Points

• Leopards are nocturnal hunters who have one of the most varied diets of any carnivore in the world.
• Warthogs are incredibly protective of their young, as this leopard quickly found out.
• When this leopard tried to kill a baby warthog, its mother quickly ran in and attacked the cat in defense of her young. It landed a severe blow on the leopard, turning the tables quickly.

Leopards (Panthera pardus) are one of the five species of the large cat genus Panthera, which also encompasses tigers, lions, and jaguars. These stunning carnivores are frequently kept in captivity and are the focus of myths and legends. Leopards can reach between 80 and 200 lbs at maturity.

These animals are carnivores, although they have one of the most varied diets of any cat species. Large prey animals like antelopes make up the majority of a leopard’s diet. They also consume small animals, lizards, insects, birds, and primates. Depending on where they are, leopards have different diets. 

Leopards hunt primarily at night. They are adept climbers and frequently transport their prey into treetops where they either consume it right away or bury it for later use. These big cats evade being bothered by foragers like jackals and hyenas by dining in trees. When a leopard kills a huge prey animal, that meal can last the leopard up to two weeks.

A compilation video on YouTube shows just how intense these hunters are when looking for their next meal. This time, they’re craving warthog. Daytime creatures, warthogs spend the majority of their lives searching for food. They typically live in family units. Warthogs have an odd behavior of nibbling and scavenging in a small area while kneading on their front knees. At night, they spend their time in burrows, which they go in backward. 

Defending Their Young

Yearlings and adult sows with their offspring make up matriarchal groupings. Piglets are not raised by boars, and they rarely interact with sows outside of mating. There’s no denying that a mother’s love can move mountains, even in the animal kingdom. 

As a leopard attempts to rush in and attack a young warthog, the mom is not having it. We can see the tables turn as the warthog chases after the big cat. Keep in mind, warthogs are much smaller and drastically slower than these felines. 

Still, the pig is able to catch up with the leopard and seeks her revenge. Without a second thought, she rips the leopard’s tail off! This is something you’d only see in a nature documentary and the fact that it was caught on camera for us to view is incredible. 

While there is a natural order to things and a food chain in the wild, there are always situations where the unexpected occurs. One thing we learn is to never mess with a warthog’s litter! 

It’s safe to assume this sent a message to all other big cats in the area. As momma heads back to the den, she can rest assured knowing that her family is kept safe from a ferocious and hungry feline.

Up Next:

• This Leopard Caught A Warthog, Then The Lions Showed Up
• Watch a Hyena Save a Warthog From a Leopard
• Warthog Shrugs off Hunting Leopard as a Minor Inconvenience
• Watch This Man-Eating Leopard Rampage Through a Village