Hyena tries to steal an impala from jaws of a leopard in South Africa

Hyena tries to steal an impala straight from the jaws of a leopard but only succeeds in setting it free to live another day

• Peet Van Schalkwyk was watching wildlife at the Delaporte waterhole in Kruger
• He had been observing elephants, zebras, giraffes and impala drink at the hole
• The hyena stumbled across leopard after it caught its prey – and scared it away 

This is the incredible moment a hyena set an impala free while trying to steal it from the jaws of a leopard at a South African waterhole.

Peet Van Schalkwyk captured the footage after hours watching the wildlife at the Delaporte waterhole in Kruger National Park. 

The retired engineering professor had witnessed elephants, zebras, giraffes and impala drinking at the hole – before being told there was a leopard hiding in the bush.

A hyena unwittingly saved an impala from the jaws of a leopards after it spotted the predator beside a waterhole

The predator had spooked impala herds as it waited on the sidelines, and had been unsuccessful in his hunt throughout the morning.

But Mr Van Schalkwyk captured the heart-racing moment the leopard made a successful lunge for food – chasing down one impala who slipped in the water.

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It dragged the animal by its neck towards a tree, forcing it onto the ground near the cemented dam. 

But just as all looked bleak for the captured impala, a hyena stumbled over to the waterhole.  

When it spotted the leopard in the bush to its side, the brazen beast chased the predator away, and the impala took the opportunity to make a dash for freedom.

Mr Van Schalkwyk told LatestSightings.com: ‘We were watching elephants, zebras, giraffes and impala drinking water at the waterhole for two hours as many vehicles came and went.

Peet Van Schalkwyk captured the footage after hours watching the wildlife at the Delaporte waterhole in Kruger National Park

The leopard dragged the impala by its neck towards a tree, forcing it onto the ground near the cemented dam

‘We were about to leave when a lady told us that there was a leopard hiding in the bush and he was spooking the impala herds every now and then but had so far been unsuccessful.

‘We decided to wait and then he finally caught an impala. A number of impala were drinking in the shallow water of a cemented dam. The leopard chased and one slipped in the water.

‘The leopard grabbed it by the neck and dragged it towards a tree but along came a hyena and when it saw the leopard with the impala it chased the leopard away.

‘The impala was not dead and it got away in the confusion. The hyena rescued the impala by accident! We were extremely excited to have witnessed something so special.’

‘This was a first for us as we have witnessed a cheetah kill before but never a leopard kill.

‘The hyena rescued the impala by accident!’ 

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