SWORN ENEMIES.

The leopard appeared from a patch of jungle about 300 yards from me loping downhill and  heading in my direction! Behind the cat was a water buffalo bull in hot pursuit. When both animals were about 150 yards from me they both disappeared down a dip in the ground and then emerged on a ridge with the leopard making for an outcrop of rock about 75 yards from me and to my right. Then, getting to a high point it stopped and looked down at the buffalo which was having difficulty climbing up behind it.

It was a very hot afternoon and I was on the edge of clump of tall trees in the Galoya National Park. Before me was a large open area where I had often observed herds of elephants feeding. I had begun to look over the place with my binoculars, when I heard langurs giving out alarm calls that told of the presence of a leopard in the vicinity. The calls came from jungle directly in front of me. It was just as I focused my attention on this spot that the leopard and buffalo came into view. A few yards behind came a small herd of about twenty adult and juvenile buffaloes.These animals pulled up soon after breaking cover allowing the leading animal to get on with the chase alone.

From where it stood on the rock the leopard turned around, looked down and snarled at the buffalo as it tried awkwardly to climb after it. The cat then leapt down making straight for thick jungle about 100 yards away. It appeared to be in no hurry, striding leisurely along. It was as if it knew that the buffalo would have trouble climbing down and going round the rock to continue the chase. With the buffalo closing the gap between them, the leopard disappeared into the jungle.

There followed a loud crashing as the buffalo burst through the thick cover, then silence for a few moments before the big bull emerged with vines and creepers entangled in its horns. It stood there for a minute or so looking around for his herd then, when he saw where they were, he shook his head and snorted as if to say, “I gave the bugger heaps!” The bull then trotted up and rejoined the herd after which all the animals started calmly moving back to from where they came.

I had no doubt that the  leopard would have got away safely by climbing a tree so I stayed where I was for about half and hour hoping it would come back into the open but it didn’t show up.