Warts and all

Hello Y’all,

It’s a wonderful chilly Cape Town winter’s day. It’s like we remember from yesteryear - really blustery and we have moments of rain deluge followed, moments later, by sunshine for goodness sake! I am privileged to be sitting snuggly in our glass-enclosed patio witnessing all this going on …just thinking.

I recently watched an amazing you tube video where a leopard had caught and was battling it out with a warthog. Now a warthog is quite a challenge for leopards and its mainly large males that go for warthogs. It may also interest you that a warthog gets its name because of the many warts they have. These warts are in fact fatty lumps and serve to protect the warthog when they are attacked. The warthog does not easily roll-over, so to say. The battle was tough and the warthog was squealing loudly as it struggled to escape. It was also fairly clear that this was a battle the warthog was not going to win. As it seemed the warthog was toast, finished, no more struggle and accepting his fate, another leopard, hearing the panic stricken squeals came in search of the commotion; probably thinking there may be an opportunity for some lip smacking yummy warthog meat. Leopards seem to like warthog. What followed was really interesting. The two leopards met, nuzzled one another in apparent and momentary collegial leopardship. An instant later the 2 leopards were in fierce battle. I have a picture in my mind of a moment in the clip where both leopards are on their back legs facing off and scrapping with their front legs, baring their ferocious teeth. The battle was relatively quick and the original leopard was the winner. In the meantime the very lucky warthog came to his senses and escaped although clearly wounded. So this is the context.

Have a look at the clip, its amazing https://youtu.be/WhfqxEBOAi0

This made me think. We always think of the harmony of nature, where the system works together. In this case, at least one of the leopards would have in some way benefitted from the warthog’s misfortune. Had they in anyway focused on securing the meal, at least one of the leopards could have feasted. I must admit that this surprised me a little. I think of a pride of lions working together to catch an antelope. I know it’s different and that lions work in a pride but you’d think this is exactly why leopard 2 may have waited until absolutely certain the warthog was dead, maybe only appearing as leopard 1 began to feast. I somehow thought only humans behaved as selfishly as this. It is also very likely that leopard 2 was more interested in territory -either protecting or extending his territory. Now there’s a wise strategy. Attack Leopard 1 while he is distracted. Clever! In fact this is distinctly a human trait. Especially in us men. Power, pride and territory first, then we’ll worry about daily bread. I am sure there’s a parallel to be drawn with the Orange Sentient.

Look, just for the record, I am happy for the old warthog. His lucky day. We know leopards sometimes hang out around warthog’s lairs and I hope our warthog’s lair is never again visited by a leopard.

 

As I watched this clip of the leopard battle I was also struck by another interesting idea. I know the Rooikat or Lynx generally kills its prey by using its back legs and ripping out the prey’s guts. If you’ve ever seen the hind quarter of a lynx, I suspect you will have noticed how powerful it appears. Clearly this power supports its kill approach. It was an eternal frustration on our farm in Plett, where we lost many sheep to lynx. We’d discover the sheep with its guts ripped, lying dead in the field. What struck me during the leopard battle was that there was obviously no fear of a lynx battle strategy. The leopards were notably not concerned about a rear leg onslaught. I guess that’s understanding your attacker. I am sure that Sun Tzu in his lessons of war and of leadership mentions the importance of knowing your enemy. Good on Lionel the leopard.