A leopard attacked two men at a South African air force base bordering the renowned Kruger National Park. One of the men, a uniformed air force member, was attacked while jogging, and the other, a civilian worker, was attacked while walking, according to an air force spokesman.
Both men were hospitalized with scratches but no serious injuries, Brigadier General Donavan Chetty reported. One has since been discharged, and the other is expected to leave the hospital on Thursday.
The leopard was captured and relocated to a sanctuary about 100 kilometers (62 miles) from the Hoedspruit air force base on Wednesday, following last week’s incidents. General Chetty noted that while leopard encounters are common for those near the park, they are not typically dangerous.
Despite the park being fenced off, General Chetty explained that leopards’ agility makes them difficult to contain. He mentioned that around 150 leopards are known to inhabit the area.
Leopards are nocturnal predators that hunt various prey, including wildebeest, antelope, and fish, as per the Kruger National Park website. In a related incident in 2017, three lions were killed after escaping from the park.
