A deadly leopard stunned tourists by catching and then ‘befriending’ a frightened impala.
The big cat seemed to shelve its predator instincts as it played and licked the young fawn.
Cuddling up: The young leopard rests its paw on an impala in Kruger National Park, in what tourists thought might be an extraordinary show of friendship between predator and prey
Friend for dinner: This leopard seems to play affectionately with an impala in Kruger National Park… but the cordial relationship didn’t last long
Mr Cocking said: ‘This was clearly far more of a game for the leopard than it was for the impala – but some moments could almost have been misinterpreted as bonding between the two.’
Strange bedfellows: Tourists at Kruger National Park, in South Africa were amazed when predator appear to befriend prey
Where do you think you’re going! The impala realises this friendship may not last and attempts to make a bid for freedom only to be firmly held in place by the hungry leopard
Mr Cocking was with safari guests when they found the young female carrying a live baby impala in her jaws.
Bid for freedom: The young impala, clearly showing the injuries from its struggle with the leopard, momentarily escapes the predator’s clutches
Normal service resumed: The temporary truce is brought to a violent end in front of stunned tourists as the leopard again grabbs hold of the impala
Chad, from Johannesberg, said: ‘I had to make a decision. It was not my role to interfere so I decided to reverse and the leopard moved in again to reclaim her prize.
In for the kill: The young leopard finally decides to carry the impala in its jaws off into the undergrowth of Kruger National Park to eat
Dinner time: The helpless impala lies motionless at the big cat prepares to devour its prey – all caught on camera by a tourist in Kruger National Park, South Africa