Anyone watching the new CBS series Zoo might find the scenes in this video eerily familiar, as a leopard attacks a safari guide in Kruger National Park, South Africa. Warning: The video of the leopard attack is graphic and might upset sensitive viewers.
The incident happened just outside the Skukuza Camp in Kruger National Park, and graphic video footage has been uploaded showing the exact moment of the leopard attack on the safari guide.
According to witnesses, the vehicle stopped after spotting the leopard. The passengers in the vehicle then lost sight of the leopard for a moment, but suddenly the leopard attacks the vehicle, grabs hold of game ranger Curtis Plumb’s arm and refuses to let go. Luckily, Plumb was wearing a bush jacket, as his injuries from the leopard attack could have been far worse.
Kruger Park leopard attack caught on camera http://t.co/BVgfYhHQEh pic.twitter.com/LT2hvcMwgq
— Eyewitness News (@ewnupdates) July 3, 2015
Plumb narrowly escapes the grip of the leopard’s claws by quickly reversing the vehicle. The leopard then took chase after the vehicle, and Plumb and another vehicle in the convoy ran over the wild cat to prevent it causing any further harm.
The video was captured by Grant Ford, one of the tourists in the safari convoy, as he and his 13-year-old son watched the leopard attack with horror. Ford explained what happened to Barcroft TV .
“The ranger peered over the side of the vehicle to see where the animal was. It was alongside him.
“Without warning or provocation it launched itself into the safari truck and grabbed the ranger’s arm. Fortunately he had a bush jacket on.”
According to Ford, “What followed was insane. The occupants of the safari truck were screaming.”
He said some of the tourists sitting behind Plumb tried to help by “beating the animal with their cameras.”
This leopard attack and what happened next is seriously disturbing http://t.co/bk8iKy8jMU pic.twitter.com/i8uhcMtxbU
— HuffPost UK (@HuffPostUK) July 3, 2015
It was then that the second vehicle got involved, following Plumb’s lead and running over the leopard.
According to the Barcroft TV , a spokesman for Kruger National Park, William Mambasa credited the driver of the second vehicle for saving the life of both Plumb and other tourists traveling in his vehicle. He explained that the leopard was already badly injured, possibly due to a fight with another cat, and this might have been the reason for the leopard attack.
“It is suspected that the leopard was fighting with another one as its hind was badly injured. The other leopard was spotted in the area watching from a distance.”
According to Eye Witness News , Plumb had moved from the U.K. to South Africa, where he has been working as a safari guide for the last four years.
After the leopard attack to both himself and his vehicle, Plumb was taken to the hospital for immediate surgery and is apparently now in a stable condition.
Regrettably the leopard had to be put down after the incident due to its severe injuries, and not everyone agreed with the treatment of the cat.
idiot Brit safari guide and tourists drive over leopard and kill him caught on camera http://t.co/aNl1reKCxs
— AnimalAbusers (@AnimalAbusers) July 4, 2015
In other related news, the Inquisitr reports that a man managed to fight off a leopard using just a stick in India back in April this year.
Getting back to the series Zoo , which has recently started on CBS, this tells the terrifying story of how animals turn the tables and start attacking humans in a bid to take over the world. Based on the James Pattinson book of the same name, the first episode was screened on June 30 this year.
According to the series, it appears humans are no longer at the top of the food chain. Makes you wonder about all those great white sharks , don’t it?
[Image: Screen grab from YouTube video ]