Two of the Majingilane coalition were sleeping on Fluffies Clearing. It was a relatively cool evening, so we expected a bit of movement from them early on, around sunset. On hot summer’s nights they will sometimes only get active at 10 or 11pm, but the weather on this particular evening was in our favour.
Ranger Jess Boon was moving into the clearing to sit and watch as the Dark-maned and Hip-Scar males got going when a flurry of activity off to the right of her vehicle caught her eye and that of tracker Jeffrey Mhlongo. Impala alarm calls began ringing out, and a flash of a gold coat caused Jess to hit the brakes as the Mashaba female leopard suddenly emerged from the long grass with a freshly caught impala lamb clamped firmly between her jaws.
The leopard was moving quickly in the direction of a large marula tree towards the crest of the hill, clearly aware of the lion threat nearby. She was right to hurry her kill to safety, as hot on her heels came the two male lions, roused by the alarm calls of the impala and sensing the chance of an easy meal.
Mashaba hoisted the impala lamb into the marula with consumate ease. Seeing a leopard hoist a kill into a tree is a rare privilege, but what happened next was the last thing that the rangers, trackers and guests there that evening expected.
The Mashaba female is currently Londolozi’s best-known leopard. Her relaxed nature means she is comfortable around the vehicles.
The Dark-maned majingilane sniffed around the base of the tree for a few moments, glanced upwards, and then launched himself up the trunk, his enormous claws biting deep into the bark as he hauled his massive bulk up to the fork of the marula. The leopard meanwhile, also not expecting this assault, scampered up to the very thinnest branches that could hold her weight, taking her kill with her and staying out of reach of the lion.
He suddenly seemed to regret his decision, as he very gingerly began to look for a way down, which unfortunately for him was a very steep and direct one.
A rather awkward descent and a tumble onto his head had him sheepishly moving off down the hill after his brother, denied a free meal.
Today if one drives past the same marula, the claw marks of the lion are still gouged into the trunk, a reminder of what will certainly prove to be one of the more incredible sightings of 2013!
Written by James Tyrrell
Filmed by Carrie Skillen
I would love to have seen him climb the tree! I assume it was too dark to get any pictures of this?
I agree! What a great sighting, and too bad there were no pictures or video.
There is a video Jeff, see above. Not sure why it didn’t appear the first time.
I can only imagine the pounding of everyones heart as they watched in amazement. I’m glad Mashaba kept her dinner from these two opportunists!
Amazing the male lions, they will do anything for a meal
I did not realise there was a video of this, just watched it, so funny its not very often you see a male lion up a tree, unreal, I am going to watch it again, I reckon this is a classic, who ever took the video well done
Thank you for this happy video. I am happy for the leopard. It was an stupid action by the Majingilane male that could have finished in some kind of injury when he descended.
lastima que no se pudo ver el leopardo cazando y subiendo al arbol… aunque amo a los leones , festejo su derrota por la comida… no me gustan los ladrones ….jaja !!
Amazing
Absolutely amazing! We were honored to witness camp pan take a kill up a tree not once but twice.. That was amazing.. I can only imagine watching ol black mane climb up that tree. Thank you for capturing the moment.
LOL! Great footage! Guess this incident gives a whole new meaning to the phrase “the cat’s up the tree!” Probably couldn’t call the fire department to rescue this cat! Fabulous! Thanks for sharing!
Nice video guys!, by the way i just watched a show called African Wild on Net Flix that was filmed on Londolozi in the begining you see one of the tailess lionesses and then 2 males laying in the grass, were those two a couple of the Majingilane? by the way the episode i watched that featured you guys was shot great and made me want to make reservations! thanx
What an incredible sighting. I’m so glad Dark-mane was able to get down without getting injured, or worse. I, too, don’t like thieves so I’m happy that Mashaba’s hard work wasn’t for naught and those boys will have to fend for themselves, rwl. Thank you for sharing this awesome sighting.
Thanks or the awesome video.. sometimes the free meal isn’t the easiest! Such a handsome lion. thank you for sharing!