The Lion Chases the Leopard while the Jackal Laughs

Drama, often life and death, is continuous in the animal world, but humans don’t usually see it or recognize it.

In the Samburu National Park in Kenya I had occasion to witness the dominance of the lion. However, lion was not what we were out to see that day. It was the leopard, the last of the ‘big five’ (buffalo, elephant, lion, rhinoceros, leopard) on “the list”. It is the best climber of the great cats of Africa and capable of leaping more than five metres vertically. It frequently drags its kill, sometimes three or four times its own weight, into a tree, to enjoy at leisure.

On this day the guide discovered the spotted cat in some brush. A few minutes later, the shy animal came out and sauntered over to a large tree and sat under it. The guide manoeuvred the Land Rover to maintain a good vantage point on this long-sought animal.

From our position the leopard was 20 m. away at two o’clock, by directional reckoning . Making its appearance 10 m. away, at nine o’clock from the Land Rover, was a jackal, the size of a large fox. The jackal started barking at the leopard. Trotting down the trail 75 m. away at 12 o’clock was a female lion. It seemed, said the guide, that she was anticipating something.

Noticing the lion, the jackal, the only animal aware of both the leopard and the lion seized the opportunity and set up a great din of barking at the leopard. The guide said the jackal was calling the lion. In any event, the annoying jackal provoked…