Leopard Nuzzles, Plays With Baby Impala Before Killing Calf When It Tries To Escape, Photos Shows

A leopardess nuzzled a baby impala before killing it when it tried to escape. The attack took place in South Africa’s Greater Kurger National Park and was beautifully captured by game ranger Reynard Moolman.

The leopardess was lying on her back when the baby impala appeared. The predator then got up, nuzzled the animal and began playing with it. A series of photos released Wednesday showed the feline toying with its prey.

Recalling the incident, 26-year-old Moolman said, the leopardess named Nkanyi “seemed to enjoy the game, even walking around the impala. It was clear that Nkanyi had no intention of ending her hunt any time soon. We witnessed some behavior that I personally have never even heard of before. At points she even seemed to caress the impala, showing minimal aggression towards it.”

An hour later, when the impala tried to escape, the predator pounced on the creature and killed it as the calf’s mother cried nearby.

Describing the scene as “heartbreaking,” Moolman said, “We all knew what the outcome of this sighting would be. Between the crying bleats coming from the fawn, the calling of the adult nearby and the futile attempts at escape we were all a little heartbroken. Regardless of the fact that we know it is nature and animals get killed for others to survive, it was a tough pill to swallow.”