This is the moment a determined leopard spectacularly fell from a tree after refusing to let go of its prey that had snagged on a branch.
The big cat can be seen clinging onto the dead animal’s neck with its teeth in this video recorded at Kruger National Park in South Africa.
Steve Haley, from Canterbury, captured the impressive moment while on safari with a friend in July 2013, however he has only just shared the clip online.
The leopard grips the dead prey with its teeth trying to get it off a tree branch after the carcass becomes snagged
After some pulling the leopard loses its balance and slips from the branch but still doesn’t let go of the dead animal
As the leopard tries to pull the carcass free, it loses its balance and desperately tries to grip onto the kill to haul itself back up.
The leopard can be seen edging towards the end of a branch as it tries to pull with all its force to free the snagged prey and take it down to the ground.
After a few seconds the leopard slips and swings from the perch – still refusing to release the dead animal gripped between its teeth.
The big cat tries to claw its way back up onto the branch but is unsuccessful.
Still refusing to give up, the leopard swings from side to side hoping to release the carcass.
However after a few attempts the leopard drops to the ground with a thud and the prey can be seen still stuck in the tree as the big cat disappears into the long grass.
The big cat swings from the animal and tries to grip the tree with its claws but has no luck
After a few seconds swinging in the air the leopard falls to the ground and disappears into the grass – but the carcass is still stuck on the branch
Leopards are known for pulling their kills up into trees to protect them from scavengers and other big cats who may steal their hard-earned food.
This tactic means that the leopard can make the carcass last a few days. They’ve also been known to hoist animals between half and one-and-a-half times their own weight.
Kruger National Park, in northeastern South Africa, is one of Africa’s largest game reserves and it is thought that around 1000 leopards are living there.
Visitors who decide to go on a safari there are likely to see lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants and buffalos.