While harvesting sugarcane, a group of farmers spot an adorable leopard cub amongst the cane. Farmers usually set fire to the sugarcane to clear the dense foliage. Only after the fire had burnt out did the farmers find the tiny leopard cub amongst the foliage.
A female leopard takes a nap while it cub licks and grooms its mother in Sabi Sands Game Reserve in greater Kruger National Park, South Africa. Image by EEI_Tony via Depositphotos
The Rescue of a Leopard Cub
Sugar cane plantation and fire. Image by mailsonpignata via Depositphotos
It seems the leopard mother had been unable to return to her cub because of the fires. Fortunately for the cub, the farmers called in animal rescue. Veterinarians came to check the cub’s health. The cub had sustained burns on its paws, which the vet attended to.
Reunion Strategy
Leopard. Image by Havranka via Depositphotos
The farmers were now faced with a challenge. How were they going to get the cub safely back to its mother? They knew the cub couldn’t simply be left in the open because of the threat of other predators. They decided that the cub could be placed in a protective cage near the area where it was found, hoping the mother would return for her offspring.
The Mother’s Return
A camera was set up to monitor the cage and capture the mother’s return. Eventually, the mother comes into the frame. She has returned to try to find her baby. The leopard is desperate to get her cub back. She starts pawing and biting the cage and finally frees her cub. She quickly scooped her cub back in her mouth and left, relieved to have found her baby.
Leopard Maternal Instincts
Leopards have complex emotions. The video shows the mother’s protective nature towards her offspring. The leopard knew precisely where to return to find her cub, and you could clearly see her panic when she found her cub trapped.
Conservation Insights
Leopard mother tries to get cub back. Image by The Dodo via YouTube
Unfortunately, agricultural practices threaten wildlife. This emotional video shows the impact agriculture might have on wild animals. The farmer’s quick and responsible response to the situation ensured the the safety of both the cub and leopard.
Author at Animals Around The Globe. MSc Ocean Sciences & Marine Biology
Cayla comes from a small coastal town in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, near the renowned diving destination Aliwal Shoal, where her deep-seated passion for the ocean first took root. Family trips to the Kruger National Park are some of her favorite memories; there’s nothing quite like being surrounded by wildlife. These experiences inspired her to study the natural world and its creatures, a path she's been on for the past 5 years. She attained her undergraduate and honors degrees in marine biology and recently completed her master's degree in applied ocean sciences, majoring in oceanography.
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