Wild cat attacks on people are invariably the fault of a person or persons. There is no fault on behalf of the cat. The cat should be left alone after the attack.
When a wild cat attacks a person in a safari park or a reserve the cat should not be killed. The cat is acting naturally. The people are in the cat’s park. The people are looking at the cat and photographing it. If the cat is ill and desperate for food he might attack a person if that person is careless enough to allow it. This is the person’s fault. Therefore the cat does nothing wrong and should be left alone.
Sadly, what I would consider to be common sense as spelled out above does not take place that often. It certainly did not happen recently in the Kruger National Park in South Africa.
A British safari guide was attacked by a starving and ill leopard. The leopard leapt at Curtis Plumb’s arm and bit it. Why was his arm in a position to be bitten by a leopard? Isn’t it the responsibility of a safari tour guide to take the usual precautionary measures and set a good example?
Curtis could not get the cat off his arm despite punching it. This occurred as Curtis was inside his pick up truck. He must have had his arm resting on the window. Passengers inside the truck hit the cat with cameras to no avail.
The driver of another vehicle smashed his door against the leopard repeatedly. The leopard let go of Curtis’s arm.
“Without warning or provocation, the leopard launched itself into the safari truck and grabbed the ranger’s arm. Fortunately he had a bush jacket on.”
The leopard was clearly starving and was thin with blunt fangs, it is said. It would appear that the leopard was struggling to survive and was forced to attack easier prey – the human.
The leopard attacked again, jumping onto the car. The guide then ran over the leopard injuring its hind legs. Then a mini-van drove over the leopard and seriously injured it. The leopard crawled into the bush nearby where it was killed. I presume shot.
There is a stack of BS in the news about this. A witness said the guide’s life was saved by the person who slammed the door against the leopard. I don’t see the guide’s life being in danger (look at his face in the photo). The leopard had grabbed his thick clothing in his blunt jaws. We have no reports on the guide’s injuries which I therefore presume are slight.
They could have dealt with this far better in my opinion. The tourists are there to see the big cats and other wildlife. I’d like to see them respected more and left alone to live. They should not be killed because a safari guide screwed up.
I don’t understand how a leopard in a reserve/park would be starving.
Isn’t it the job of personnel to see that all wild cats are monitored, fed, and healthy?
Good point Dee. I guess they leave them to survive on their own until they bite a ranger then they kill them! So crass.
I understand. You have to relate to the subject of the site, and that’s cats. That photo of that guide with the leopard is one of the stupidest things I’ve ever seen humans do.
Michael, I agree. I would have to expand your comment to include ALL wild animals. There’s usually a pretty good reason why an animal attacks, and usually it’s the result of human stupidity or, as in the case of that guide, arrogance. Get too close to a female bear with cubs, she will attack. I’m not saying that people do this deliberately. Out in the wild they might be distracted and they’re not paying attention to their surroundings. Corner an animal, make them feel trapped, and he or she will turn and attack. I’ve seen videos of people here in the states who will get out of their cars so that they can get a photo on their smartphone when they see a wild animal by the roadside! Then they’re shocked and surprised when the animal resents this and attacks.
You know I’m a cat lover, but I’m also a big fan of coyotes. Humans have demonized that animal, yet the coyote has survived and thrived despite everything we’ve thrown against it. I’ve heard of unprovoked attacks by coyotes here, but I’m not taking those reports at face value. I feel I have to dig deeper, because a lot of times humans lie to cover themselves. I have a friend in the east who emailed me several months back. She said she noticed a change in the coyotes in her area. Before they were timid, would run at the sight and sound of a human, and they were normal sized. She says now the ones she’s seen are larger and they are not afraid of humans. They sound more like coy-dogs, or hybrids. Apparently humans tried to kill off the ‘yotes there and the survivors mated with domestic or feral dogs. If that’s what happened it all comes back to humans interfering when we should have left well enough alone.
If Kristen Lindsey is ever mauled or killed while bowhunting, I would definitely give that animal a free pass.
I’d agree that too. I’d have used that in the title but for the site being about cats 😉
WE in Mumbai(Bombay)ARE THE ONLY CITY IN THE WORLD TO HAVE A WILD LIFE FOREST IN OUR MIDST WITH RESIDENT “BIG CATS”.PLEASE PRESERVE THIS FOREST FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
A recent survey taken at the “Sanjay Gandhi National park” revealed a population of 35 leopards!.
Read the link :-http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31804&articlexml=35-leopards-roam-SGNP-Aarey-and-periphery-finds-01072015002010
Mumbai has an amazing nature reserve on its doorstep. Wonderful. I’d love to see it one day.
Michael, I couldn’t agree with you more. I too am sick of seeing wild animals being killed because idiotic humans have encroached into their territory and taken foolhardy risks. Why wasn’t this guide following safety protocols to keep a safe distance from animals? I guess he thought he “knew” the animals and could predict their behaviour, but was wrong.
It drives me mad to read these stories. I only have eyes for the cat! Leave the poor thing alone, is my thought. I am sick of stupid, arrogant humans snuffing out the life of an animal simply because he is behaving normally but has the effrontery to attack a damn human.