A drought trapped these helpless catfish in a muddy pool. When a leopard figured it out, it couldn’t resist jumping in to try and catch them, causing all the fish to flip and panic!
–WATCH–
Over a few days in July, Candice noticed the leopard returning to this specific waterhole. He kept coming to check the water level, and when it was dry enough, we found out why…
Some African species of catfish have adapted to survive with almost no water for certain periods. They enter a dormant state called aestivation and use hardly any energy. In extreme cases, they can survive by burrowing into the mud.
One morning, Candice went to check if the leopard was still at the waterhole. He was, and Candice spent three hours with him, but without much activity. Just as she was about to leave, a couple of warthogs came for a drink, and the excitement began!
“Like a switch, it triggered something inside him. He ran straight onto the log and decided it was now or never! Looking at the fish, he reached into the muddy water, and with a swift movement, grabbed one!”
