The Nkuhlu Picnic Site, a popular rest stop located about halfway between Skukuza and Lower Sabie rest camps, momentarily turned into a scene of chaos on August 17, when a leopard sprinted through the area.
The sighting was described by Dewald Venter, a visitor to the Kruger National Park (KNP) who managed to record the incident, as “the sighting (and scare) of their lives”.
Venter, a Centurion resident, said he and a few others were visiting the KNP for the weekend and were having brunch on the terrace at Nkuhlu, when suddenly what sounded like two male impalas grunting behind them in the tented camp turned out to be a leopard chasing two bushbuck. “The leopard chased them right along the front of the terrace,” he said.
“The leopard, not successful in its hunt for prey, paused for a few moments on the terrace, considering its options. With people on either side and the river behind, the leopard chose the way through the picnic spot as an exit, leaving people screaming and running in every direction,” he said.
In the video it can be heard how many tried to calm down the crowd, but to no avail.
Venter said the leopard, believed to be male, made a run up the stairs past the shop and across the parking before it disappeared back into the bush.
Tina van Deventer also shared her experience on the SANParks – Kruger National Park Facebook page where Venter posted his amazing capture.
“We were some of the lucky people who were there at that moment. It is my two daughters at the end of the video running towards the car. It took a few seconds of considering what to do, but we were told by the ranger to ‘Move’ and to ‘Go to the cars’. We also thought that standing still would be the best option, but everybody tried to get away as we were told by the ranger with his loaded gun, loaded for the leopard. Luckily, no shots were fired. There was a lot of confusion. My daughter ran to our car, as she was told, but had no keys to get into the car, and the leopard passed right by our car. She is still stressed about the whole situation. We all had a huge scare; some say adventure, but we are thankful that nobody was harmed. And we still love the Kruger!”
Venter concluded by saying it was “an absolute once-in-a-lifetime experience but a reminder that the Kruger is wild, even at the picnic spots”.
The KNP’s spokesperson, Ike Phaahla, said they were grateful that everyone in the vicinity was sensible enough to run to safety.
“The KNP is an open system and this rare occurrence emphasises the fact that we should be aware that dangerous animals lurk around the park.”
Watch the video below:
