Love Stronger Than Loss
A small, lost gosling totters onto a dry riverbed, completely unaware that danger is nearby. Just a short distance away, a playful leopard cub is exploring the sand, innocent curiosity meeting innocent ignorance. Without sensing any threat, the little bird wanders straight toward the young leopard.
The dramatic moment was filmed by Benji Solms, a guide at Serondella Game Lodge, and later shared with LatestSightings.com. Earlier, a resident female leopard had made a kill along the riverbed, and her cub had joined her during the night. By morning, the cub was full of energy, running back and forth through the soft river sand while observers watched quietly.
Everything changed in seconds when a group of goslings appeared at one end of the riverbed, unknowingly walking straight toward the leopard and her cub. The cub noticed the movement, but the goslings were lucky at first, slipping into thicker vegetation. All except one. One brave — or confused — gosling stepped back into the open, triggering the leopard's hunting instinct.
The chase was intense. The gosling darted under the safari vehicle, briefly using it as cover, but the leopard managed to grab it and run off. In a clever move, the little bird played dead, causing the leopard to loosen its grip. When the gosling tried to escape again, the leopard pounced once more.
The leopard carried its catch into a nearby tree, and it seemed the gosling's luck had run out. Still pretending to be lifeless, the bird unexpectedly fell from the tree. The leopard stayed above, watching closely. Then, in a final burst of courage, the gosling sprang up and ran toward the dense bushes where its siblings were hiding — disappearing safely and escaping against all odds.
Comments
Post a Comment