A once in a lifetime Leopard kill sighting at Kruger National Park 7 Jan 2023
A once in a lifetime Leopard kill sighting at Kruger National Park 7 Jan 2023
A leopard kill happened on 7 January 2023 just outside Berg en Dal rest camp in Kruger National Park, South Africa.
This video clip was taken by Meegan Matthee friend of Private Kruger Safaris and sent to us to show our KZhead community.
"We saw the Leopard standing under a tree. Then we decided to wait a few minutes before leaving to give others a chance to look. Jayden then saw that the leopard went into stalking mode & Leopard crawled slowly toward the unexpected Impala antelope a few meters away.
The leopard patiently waited till the antelopes got closer to make its move. When the two antelope males started a sparing match with its horns the leopard attacked and caught the one Impala totally off guard.
What an experience! So grateful that we could be in The Kruger National Park & witnessed this Leopard kill so closely! A truly once-in-a-lifetime experience we will remember for years and years to come."
What an amazing Leopard sighting in Kruger National Park.
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Amazing the stealth of that leopard. The stealth, the movement - parallel to the horizontal of the earth -, then like a wraith to the fighting gazelles it leapt, totally blindsiding one that probably didn't know what that razor vice grip of death was until he smelt the stench of the leopard's breath and then the gazelle knew from primordial instincts, that the game was over. The leopard is my favourite big cat no doubt about it.
Lol, "primordial instincts" of knowing its over from those that got eaten don't exist, never got to be passed down since they never bred after they became lunch 😁
Lol. Entertaining!
@@thabzmad7265 Have you ever heard about morphogenetic fields?
@@t.e.r.sven2.0vs.daskaltest59 🤔🤯 not sure what that is, but for sure it doesn't sound like a a word or concept the evolution congregation would use. Is it something Buddhism is built on perhaps? 😉
Great commentary! I have to go with Jaguar as my favorite big cat though.
Perfect footage. No annoying music or inane commentary, it just lets nature speak for itself
Well done 👏 ✔️
Exactly.
I'd say it was pretty great, but, not perfect. Maybe the upload caused all the distortion?
Then there’s the comment section…
I wish he could have Zoom in a bit
This is arguably the single most perfect display of a big cat stealth hunting ever filmed. It's absolutely insane how close it got before it struck.
Absolutely insane how close it was filmed. Good eye to see the leopard on the prowl, can't imagine how many hours were spent out there to get a scene like that
I think the leopard takes 4 steps to the gazelle. Then 1 grab with both claws, and immediately gets to its neck. Incredibly efficient, not a single wasted motion
@@1997jankuschef it is considered the most efficient killer !
Taking advantage of vegetable cover. He's probably trained with the Navy Seals :)
This ones good. But there is better one where jaguar hunting monkeys out of tree. Way more impressive in the canopy hunting.
Impressive all around: 1. The stealth of the leopard. 2. The awareness and speedy reaction of the impalas despite being entangled. 3. The quick adjustments of the leopard from grabbing the shank to moving up to bite the throat.
Hit 'er on the head, Bud!! Was thinking the same thing about that switch from the body to the throat being supernaturally fast!!!!
Not to mention the filming
@@jimnadeau6205 ...also, the tack on those claws is just remarkable, wow. For the leopard to be able to hang onto that round/shank as the impala tries to change direction and accelerate...just wow. What an impressive animal, and what impressive footage.
Must have snapped its neck quickly, it would have done more kicking, otherwise?
The gazelle almost got away with that sudden turn it made.
To be able to stalk into a herd across mostly open ground.. then to have speed like that is mind-blowing. What an amazing cat. Another thing which is amazing is how fast the alarm calls came and how incredibly quickly the fighting impala reacted to them and disengaged. What a spectacular video!
Why didn't the deer put up a fight though? Seemed like the deer just quit as soon as the leopard put him in a choke hold. Didn't even resist.
@@Name-jw4sj Yeah I think once they are down, especially if they are grabbed by throat so they can't breathe, it's all over pretty quickly. Leopards are insanely strong for their size as well. They also seem to put their legs in the air a bit so they can stand up again.
Three-foot high vegetation is your idea of "open ground"? You need an eye exam
@@Name-jw4sj you can’t even fathom how strong those leopards are, bro!
@@veryslyfox An impala stands about waist height, and if you look at the ones standing up, the grass comes a little way up their lower legs. I'd say that leopard stalked into the herd in grass slightly above ancle height of a human. That is less than one-foot high grass, and not thick either.
Finally! Thank you camera person for not making noise or starting your vehicle and ruining it for the leopard, excellent video.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Amen!!!!!!! I am so grateful for the QUIET!!! 🙏🏽 Also love seeing the leopard slink all the way!
I watch dozens of these clips and I've never watched anyone make noise like how you state
@@ForeverEngland76 You sure you weren't watching cartoons or something? Because I've watched hundreds of these videos and probably about half of them have screams and "run little guy" and "Oh, that poor thing" Also vehicles starting and stopping and moving etc. One in particular a woman keeps repeating "what the hell" several times.
@@ForeverEngland76 It happens all the time.
Spectacular video. It is so pure. The foliage and nature's own sounds provided perfect coverage for this mature leopard to demonstrate why they are my favourite of the big cats. Major props to those who witnessed this in person for showing the discipline to not ruin the moment.
Thank you very much! Was an amazing sighting!
@@PKSafaris thank you for sharing this exquisite footage
But what were those sounds? They didn't sound natural.
@@TheKomentor If I had to guess I'd say those would probably be baboons
@@nicks1063 Lol nooo.. Those are Impala alert calls. Telling everyone there's a predator nearby
Nature is the best soundtrack! Thank you for keeping keeping it that way! 🙏
Glad you enjoy it!
Completely agree , love the bird call background . He was lucky there were no baboons around to give the leopard away
The accuracy of the neck bite in mid air is insane!!
There is no neck bite in mid air. 1:24 The neck bite comes here, 1:41, and they are already on the ground. If anything, we are reminded that there is a reason why these animals are endowed with sharp claws: The amazing firmness of the claw-grip, in mid air, on the antelope's hind leg.
@@sorellman And there is always a wanna-be Attenborough around trying to rain on others' comments...
@@regwatson2017 A couple of things about your brilliant reply: Not a fan of Attenborough. Secondly, which comment is correct? You have not addressed that, the world is breathlessly awaiting, but you will have to actually watch the video to figure that one out. Last but not the least what on earth raining on others' comments means anyway. I hope no one has suicidal thoughts because of me correcting the other guy. LOL!
You have to be that dude? You should have just stopped at your first stupid comment. I think he meant "shitting on" someone else's astute comment but tried to be nice. Not sure why he would be nice to you. Look at 1:40 1:41 1:42, the damn leopard grabbed it by the throat IN THE AIR and held on. You can see the background under the cat's head. They are not on the ground, and the cat never let go.
@@sorellman You didn't need to correct the"other guy". Who are you - the KZhead Accuracy Police ? He wasn't looking for a scientific debate - he was in awe of the leopard's technique. We all know what he meant and the video stands for itself as the uploader also kindly showed it again in slow motion. But no, you had to come along with your time-stamps to try to score a pathetic anal point. Surprised you didn't give us a full university-style thesis on the mechanics of the leopard's bone structure, the scientic definition of "Mid-air" and it's relationship to Earth's gravity taking into account prevailing wind, effects of heat haze, the dried grasses' cushioning-effect and the weight of the antelope. If you can't see what a jerk you were in making that comment then pat yourself on the back for winning the internet. There's no hope for you so off you go and find another comment you can reply to and show off with !
These short flicks are the best, it's absolutely amazing how the cat hangs on to the prize. Bravo Meegan.!
A rare instance of a scene like this where the photographer resisted the universally powerful urge to over-zoom in. Because of this we were treated to all of the action inside the frame of the picture. Most scenes like this lose important action off frame due to being zoomed in too much, or blurry because of having to rapidly pan.
Amazing capture well done Meegan Mattee truly once in a lifetime 👏
What a capture, both, for the leopard and the camera. And not to mention, the patience on both accounts. One of the best wild videos I've ever seen. Thanks for sharing.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great job, Megan! Excellent camera control and no b.s. commentary. 👏🏆
Thanks so much!!
This isn’t real. It’s been staged and photo shopped..
Thank you for sharing this superb video, no narration, no background music, no erratic camera movement, perfect!
perfect video Miss Meegan! shot was centered camera was steady no shaking! well done, see this Nat.Geo? hire her!
It's amazing how well the leopard spots camouflage it. You wouldn't expect dots and black lines on a tan coat to blend in with green grass so well until you see it in action. Truly breathtaking to witness nature in it's full glory
Great video! It's humbling to see how beautiful and energetic nature is. It's been more than 20 years since I was lucky enough to tour through the Okavango Delta, the Makgadikgadi Salt pans and Chobe Park. This brings back very meaningful memories. Thank you!
Amazing video! Thank you for just letting the video play. No stupid intro, no subscription requests, no dumb music. Detailed description that explains everything. Bravo!
Amazing Hunt and camera work! The scenery is like a painting: edenic place. The nature sounds ( without additional music) truly mesmerizing.
The Leopard being aware and moving towards the little tree to provide additional cover is awesome. Thanks for sharing.
This was absolutely incredible!! Great camera work!!!
Thanks for watching
Thanks Meegan for the amazing footage! Would you divulge the camera, lens and settings employed?
Great video capturing Meegan. That leopard’s movements at each step were perfectly timed. Both Impalas were completely caught off guard. As leopards are solitary big game felines their skills are razor sharp.
Glad you enjoyed it!
All true but those impalas STILL reacted very very quickly, even though one of them fell victim to the wily cat.
Excellent footage, you can really see the sheer brute strength and speed! Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it
Wow! Amazing capture!
Thanks for visiting
Great job Meegan! I hope you win an award for this footage.
Brilliant bit of camera work. No voices. No music. No engine. Brilliant. And the cat wasn’t too shabby either. 😀. Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it
The sheer power and speed of that Leopard is incredible. That Impala is a powerful animal and the Leopard dispatched it with ease.
The strength absolutely blows my mind
WOW. I am stunned. 😳 That was absolutely amazing!!! The speed and agility of that cat is crazy insane!! I thought he/she had lost it for a sec. 🤯
Great video!! Love seeing the leopard’s actions, very stealth and focused. Thank you for no annoying music
I was born and raided in South Africa and have been t the Kruger Park many times. Never seen anything like this. Fantastic sighting and videography.
Absolutely incredible! Spurs many thoughts about life, death and the nature of the world. Thank you for sharing!
Amazing shot and editing. Perfect 10/10
Great camo! Thank you for sharing this amazing footage with us , Meegan!
Thanks for watching!
Wow…the slo-mo was INCREDIBLE! Amazing footage!
Glad you liked it!
Amazing how camouflaged these predators are to their surroundings, and how stealthy. I’ve even heard of large cats travelling through cities without ever being noticed by a single person, just spotted briefly on some street camera after the fact.
In my city (Neuquén) they were looking for a puma for a week! He couldnt be found so they quit and assumed he went back to the desert on his own...but he was spotted only by street cameras while on the city.
dude, no joke...there are thousands of leopards in all big cities, we just don't ever notice them!
@@moos5221 LMAO thousands might be a stretch
@@moos5221 No joke, lol. Imagine how disastrous the problems would be with animal control.
@@bryandyer5454 that's the thing...if it weren't for all the invisible leopards in our cities there would be wild cats & dogs & hogs & snogs everywhere! but the leopards take care of them and keep their population small while they stay out of our sight. it's been like this for centuries, perfect symbiosis.
One of the best wildlife videos on KZhead.
Excellent!! We were just to Kruger last week, no leopard sightings for us. Great footage!!
Brilliant photography thank you
Amazing reflex from the Leopard
Amazing that you got as close as you did to film this, great job and great footage!!!
Congratulations on this footage! Trully wonderful!
Leopards are such incredible athletic specimens with their agility , stealthiness and speed. They have to be top notch in those skills to survive and raise families (females) in the wild.
What an amazing experience to capture on film. Thank you so much. He, the leopard, has obviously done that before, but to be there and see it...👏🙏 Now all the big has to do is find a big tree and enjoy his well-earned meal.
Wonderful footage. We were in Motswari last year and saw leopard. Can't wait to go back.
You were definitely in the right place at the exact right time!! Your work was amazing and excellent. Thank you for sharing it 👍👍😀💕❤️
One of the best power moves, ever!
Scary how invisible that Leopard was every time it stopped moving. Just blended in perfectly 👀
fantastic camera work!!! Thank you for shutting up and letting the leopard have the show unlike so many others.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Terrific video Meegan. Found myself mesmerised by the event and left contemplating life, death, skill and evolution evolution. Well done, you must be pleased.
The reaction speed is unbelievable. The gazelle is quick but the leopard is astonishing.
Impala* :)
He was just lucky he didn't lose hold. Many things need to go right for a predator to catch its prey.
That was amazing I love big cats I love nature ❤️
One of the best videos on KZhead , truly amazing
This video is as good as it get ! Great job. The speed at which the leopard directed its jaws to the throat is incredible.
It looks very green and nice the surroundings, lot of rain making it lush...
Such a lucky animal encounter! Well, not for the impala.
No luck there mate- pure hunting skill for the lepoard!
@@mcrdl76 Lucky for the photographers he meant.
Superb footage, silence and composure, well done and congrats! Goes to show you how being a cautious, capable, and quiet observer can yield unforgettable moments
What a very special thing to see. Well captured with the video camera and thanks for keeping it real without music and comentary.
Our pleasure!
This is incredible. The whole herd hasd no clue that this leopard is so close. Incredible skill. African planes are truly the most competitive place on the planet.
Thanks to the folks on the scene, and later editors, on several counts. Many videos like this are ruined, particularly the audio, bu autowinders, talking, etc. So, very well done. Amazing video as well. Maybe God rewarded you with the shot because he knew you wouldn't ruin it with all that. 🙂
Awesome footage. The cunning of the leopard to wait for the two Impala to spar, thus distracting their attention, is incredible.
Expert at large!😊
She's mastered the art. 👌
Amazing footage! And even more amazing that no one watching was shrieking or laughing as in many of these videos. Much appreciated.
Awesome take down! Thanks for holding camera still!!
Everything was in harmony. The gracious and gorgeous impala's doing their thing, the amazing abilities of the leopard. In spite off the impala's distraction, their lightning quick reaction to approaching danger. Almost both impala's had gotten away, but the hind legs of one were enough to get grip on with the claws and then the leopard "reeled" itself in towards the throat region of the still fleeing impala. It's all a matter of fractions of a second. Everything was in harmony again. Thanks for sharing, indeed, once in a lifetime.
Thank you for watching really appreciate your comment!
Besides for the natural camouflage of the Leopard and its low profile in the taller grasses... it looks to have had the breeze working with its hunting movements. This probably helping cover any smell, sound that the Impala antelope may have picked up on.
Incredible. Mahalo for sharing the footage. Beautiful.
That was one of the most impressive, lightning-fast takedowns I've ever seen. Well done Mr. Leopard.
Did he ever find a tree to plant that Impala in. I would hate for him to lose it to an Hyena...
Heyena must also eat
@@tonykay6966 hyenas always eat because they are worthless scavengers lol
The leopard is smart knowing to go for a pair of bulls who are distracted and probably tired from sparring. 👏
How lucky you were not only to see this but to capture this amazing footage!
Thank you for sharing this impressive footage!
Incredible strength to hold on to that Impala. For a second, it looked like he might escape. Really beautiful, excellent video.
Glad you enjoyed it
Great footage. I guess, "once in a lifetime" is for the operator... because that leopard does that sort of thing every Wednesday :)
Hehehe sure.
Moral of the story, if you fight among yourselves the 3rd person will take advantage of you.
Amazing footage, what are those sounds as the leopard began running? Was that the sound of baboons?
That claw grab was ridiculous
Doesn’t look like that Impala suffered for long
I don't know how you got this footage it is really wonderful i a true nature lover thank you very much for this
fantastic video work there! Not over reacting to the leopards attack and keeping everything in centre frame, is hard to do, believe me! Worthy of any wildlife documentary.
0:45 its incredible how the leopard, which is not usually thought of as a well camouflaged animal, is able to disappear in the plants even when we know where it is.
Wh-... what? The spotted pattern on leopards is specifically for camouflage lol
@@OctalInfinity Yes I'm aware that is what the pattern of fur is for, as it dots break up the outline of the cat (similar to military uniforms). I just meant that the bright coat of the leopard seems like it should stand out from green grass, yet it is able to become nearly invisible.
Excellent footage. No often that one sees a leopard, let alone in action like this
Wow! Wow! Wow! This is an amazing video on so many different levels for so many different reasons!
Excellent camera work. You kept calm and steady.
A once in a lifetime sighting. Fantastic! I‘ll be staying at Melalane in March, maybe I am as lucky as you were.
Fantastic shot! It always amazes me just how strong leopards are that they can pull an animal that size up a tree.
Poor Impala. Wow 🤩 on the hunting skills of leopard 🐆
Powerful and quick. Amazing footage!
You are lucky you saw this amazing sight & share with us .👏
A truly fantastic capture, well done! How LOW that leopard made itself. Moving like a BOSS. What prowess, and, it was over quickly for the impala. A hearty meal, well earned. Wow. Beautiful feline.
Brilliant footage thanks for sharing.
What's making all the noise after the strike?
What is the popping and cracking sound right at / around the attack. It sounds like gunshots. I am confused.
Brilliant video. Thanks!
Great video. Calm camera work at the strike. Cheers. Big impala too. Smart Leopard.
Awesome to see nature balance itself out. Great coverage..
So raw, unadulterated footage... could have even been a phone. Pure Bliss to watch
Vey nice footage. I miss Kruger. I still remember the night sky when I was there.