nick
February 3rd, 2010, 05:13 AM
A playful leopard was left with sore paws and his tail between his legs after losing a battle of wits to a prickly porcupine.
http://i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01570/Leopard_1570795c.jpg
The leopard tried all his hunting techniques to catch the rodent but was given the needle by his spikey prey.
The two-year-old male leopard tried pouncing on the porcupine from above, prodding him and trying to roll him over, but to no avail.
Undeterred, the furry feline even tried extending a gentle paw as the porcupine shook its spikes ferociously.
After 25 minutes and several painful spines in his paws, the big cat was forced to accept defeat and retreat.
The incredible moment was captured on camera by professional wildlife photographer Shem Compion in the Mashatu Game reserve, Botswana.
The pictures were taken during a photography wildlife safari he was leading, as part of his business C4 Images and Safaris.
The 33 year-old, who lives in South Africa, said: "Excitement hardly describes my feelings - it was one of my top wildlife sightings ever.
Full story here (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/7136786/Pictured-amazing-moment-leopard-loses-fight-with-prickly-porcupine.html)
http://i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01570/Leopard_1570795c.jpg
The leopard tried all his hunting techniques to catch the rodent but was given the needle by his spikey prey.
The two-year-old male leopard tried pouncing on the porcupine from above, prodding him and trying to roll him over, but to no avail.
Undeterred, the furry feline even tried extending a gentle paw as the porcupine shook its spikes ferociously.
After 25 minutes and several painful spines in his paws, the big cat was forced to accept defeat and retreat.
The incredible moment was captured on camera by professional wildlife photographer Shem Compion in the Mashatu Game reserve, Botswana.
The pictures were taken during a photography wildlife safari he was leading, as part of his business C4 Images and Safaris.
The 33 year-old, who lives in South Africa, said: "Excitement hardly describes my feelings - it was one of my top wildlife sightings ever.
Full story here (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/7136786/Pictured-amazing-moment-leopard-loses-fight-with-prickly-porcupine.html)