Leap of Death: Astonishing Moment Captured as Leopard Soars Through the Air, Pouncing on a Doomed Impala with Deadly Precision

This is the dramatic moment a leopard appeared to fly though the air in order to pounce on a doomed impala and snare her for lunch.

And the crafty leopard seem to have perfected a unique method for catching prey – surprising them while drinking water.

This is the dramatic moment a leopard appeared to fly though the air in order to pounce on a doomed impala and snare her for lunch

This is the dramatic moment a leopard appeared to fly though the air in order to pounce on a doomed impala and snare her for lunch

The leopard threw herself at the impala and took the animal by surprise as she was drinking water from a lake 

The leopard threw herself at the impala and took the animal by surprise as she was drinking water from a lake

The dramatic scene was caught on camera by Simon Vegter, a safari guide from Wild Wings Safaris, during a trip to South Africa's Kruger National Park

The dramatic scene was caught on camera by Simon Vegter, a safari guide from Wild Wings Safaris, during a trip to South Africa’s Kruger National Park

A group of lucky tourists, led by Mr Vegter, were able to witness this spectacular hunting drama unfold in front of their eyes at a waterhole near the Skukuza camp.

The impala tries to get away by slipping into the lake but the leopard doesn't give up and locks his jaws around the creature 

The impala tries to get away by slipping into the lake but the leopard doesn’t give up and locks his jaws around the creature

After pouncing on the unsuspecting impala, the leopard dragged her out of the water and started chowing down, in a gruesome attack lasting just seconds

After pouncing on the unsuspecting impala, the leopard dragged her out of the water and started chowing down, in a gruesome attack lasting just seconds

‘I wasn’t sure she was in position for a hunt, until she burst out of the covers.

‘The speed that she moves at always catches me by surprise. She burst from the covers, scaring the herd of impala, causing one to slip into the water.

The big cat pulls her prey up on to dry land and begins to eat lunch in front of tourists at Kruger National Park 

The big cat pulls her prey up on to dry land and begins to eat lunch in front of tourists at Kruger National Park