Kruger National Park field guide was attacked by a leopard on Thursday during a game drive in Mpumalanga.
The incident happened just after 13:00 at Alfa Loop outside Skukuza Camp.
According to eye witnesses, the guide was with 6 to 8 tourists on his Open Safari Vehicle (OSV) watching the leopard some two metres from the vehicle.
The animal cunningly disappeared, probably went around the guide's side while the group was still searching for it. The guide had relaxed on the OSV when the leopard suddenly leapt and grabbed his arm, trying to jump onto the vehicle.
Everybody in the vehicle started hitting the leopard with various objects they had with them to chase it away. The leopard would not let go of the guide’s arm until a tourist from another vehicle rushed and repeatedly used his vehicle to scare off the animal and that is when it eventually let go.
“We would like to thank the tourist from another vehicle for his quick and decisive action as he saved the guide and tourists’ lives," said SANParks’ spokesperson William Mabasa.
"It is suspected that the leopard was fighting with another one as its hind was badly injured; the other leopard was spotted in the area watching from a distance.”
Leopard attacks field guide in Kruger Park
Kruger National Park field guide was attacked by a leopard on Thursday during a game drive in Mpumalanga.
The incident happened just after 13:00 at Alfa Loop outside Skukuza Camp.
According to eye witnesses, the guide was with 6 to 8 tourists on his Open Safari Vehicle (OSV) watching the leopard some two metres from the vehicle.
The animal cunningly disappeared, probably went around the guide's side while the group was still searching for it. The guide had relaxed on the OSV when the leopard suddenly leapt and grabbed his arm, trying to jump onto the vehicle.
Everybody in the vehicle started hitting the leopard with various objects they had with them to chase it away. The leopard would not let go of the guide’s arm until a tourist from another vehicle rushed and repeatedly used his vehicle to scare off the animal and that is when it eventually let go.
“We would like to thank the tourist from another vehicle for his quick and decisive action as he saved the guide and tourists’ lives," said SANParks’ spokesperson William Mabasa.
"It is suspected that the leopard was fighting with another one as its hind was badly injured; the other leopard was spotted in the area watching from a distance.”