Leopards are the most versatile of all the big cats,
adept at finding cover in the most unpromising places.
The steep walls of the gully are now her cover
for an ambush.
The male puku is close enough,
but he’s too big to tackle.
She needs to slip past him
without being seen.
If he spots her, he’ll blow her cover.
Slowly does it.
To succeed here,
she needs to find prey grazing close to the edge.
Or better still, in the gully itself.
Frustration.
Success would have staved off hunger for a week.
But while there’s prey around, there’s hope.
Peeking over the top is a risk,
but it’s the quickest way to find a new target.
A burst of speed of 65km an hour
and it’s all over in less than six seconds.
Except –
it isn’t.
Dazed and disorientated,
the impala makes a miraculous escape.
