The plucky rescuer had to avoid the animal’s deadly kicks whilst freeing him
(YouTube / Wild Wonderful World)
This is the definition of a heart-stopper. A South African field guide risks his life and dodges vicious kicks from a kudu in the Kalahari Desert to help save its life.
In the video, which has been viewed 2.7 million times on Facebook, it becomes apparent that the animal is in trouble when Grant Pengilly drives past it. As reported by SA People, his accompanying safari guide Michelle Campbell explains that the kudu has attempted to jump over a fence, and ended up stuck.
Lying on it’s back, with its feet caught in metal wiring, the animal was in trouble. The sun was beating down on a scorching day and freeing him before he succumbed to dehydration was a tense, fraught race against the clock.
Writing on their YouTube channel ‘Wild Wonderful World’, the pair explained what they saw and how they knew it was time for action:
“After leaving the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, we came across a young male Kudu caught in a fence. With such little vehicle movement in the area, we didn’t want to risk the animal not getting found by park rangers, so we did what we could to try save him, untangling him and helping him to his feet.”
Whilst Michelle caught the incredible drama on camera, Grant did his best to help remove the wire caught around the animal’s feet. Every time he attempted to move the hooves out of the fencing, he was putting his life in danger.
The kudu packs some incredible power into its kicks, especially with its hind legs. As he squirmed to get free, the timid beast was flailing his legs wildly. With every delicate manoeuvre, Greg fled to a safe, but short distance away.
Once settled, the guide would continue his attempts to free our struggling Kudu. Each time he inched closer, but had to maintain his distance when each leg was liberated from the wired border.
Finally, the Kudu is free, and springs to life shortly afterwards. He gallops over the road and back into the sandy dunes of the Kalahari Desert. Hopefully, the shaken beast will think twice before trying to jump that fence again.
