In the animal kingdom, members of the feline family are known for their tree-climbing abilities, including the agile and fast-running leopard. Recently, in South Africa, there was a wild leopard that climbed up a tree trunk in an attempt to catch a nimble squirrel, but ended up being outplayed by the squirrel, unable to make the catch.
According to a report from the “Latest Sightings” website, Piet Van Wyk, the chief ranger at the MalaMala Game Reserve in South Africa, noticed a wild leopard climbing a tree during a hunting trip. This particular leopard is a descendant of a well-known mother leopard.
Van Wyk and the tourists on the trip witnessed the leopard focus on a tree where a squirrel was perched. The squirrel was about 100 times smaller in size compared to the leopard.
However, when the leopard tried to hunt the squirrel by climbing the tree, the squirrel did not immediately run away. Instead, it played with the leopard in the tree. The agile squirrel swiftly moved around the branches, causing the leopard to climb up and down in vain attempts to catch it.
At one point, the leopard seemed confused on the tree trunk, unable to locate the whereabouts of the squirrel, which remained motionless right in front of it. Only when the squirrel made a slight movement did the leopard notice it again and the “cat and mouse” game continued.
Despite the squirrel repeatedly leading the leopard to the tree’s top and then jumping down to the ground, the leopard never gave up chasing after the squirrel.
This playful chase lasted for about 5 minutes. Finally, the squirrel jumped to the ground and swiftly disappeared into the bushes, its whereabouts unknown. Perhaps it got tired or had its fill of fun. The determined leopard, however, persistently followed into the bushes, refusing to give up.
As for the ultimate fate of the squirrel, whether it became a meal for the leopard or not, remains unknown at this point.
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