This poignant and emotional moment captured the scene of a buffalo mother standing by the tree where a leopard had placed her calf, hoping for a miraculous opportunity to retrieve her baby.

During the recent long weekend, reports surfaced of a leopard’s unusual kill. It’s a rarity for a leopard to hunt a buffalo, especially a young one. Evading the protective instincts of the buffalo herd, known for rallying to rescue their young, made this sighting exceedingly uncommon.

But, after the leopard dragged the carcass across the road, the mother of the buffalo calf didn’t give up. She stood by the tree for most of the day, in hopes of a miracle.

As we approached the scene, our attention was drawn to some hyenas and a visibly distressed female buffalo. Initially, I assumed she might have been injured, with the hyenas targeting her. Upon stopping the vehicle, I glanced up and spotted the formidable Gomondwane male leopard holding the recently killed buffalo calf in the tree. The mother buffalo persistently circled the tree while the leopard firmly secured his grip on the carcass, ensuring it wouldn’t dislodge from the tree. The buffalo mother appeared hopeful for a chance to retrieve her baby.

After some time, the leopard leaped down from the tree to evade the female buffalo and later returned in the afternoon to consume his kill undisturbed.