In less than two weeks, nearly 2 million people have been both amazed and charmed by a video of a leopard family. They’re simply crossing the road, but what’s really incredible to see is just how serious mama leopard is about quite literally stopping traffic with a glare.
The scene takes place at one of the largest game reserves on the entire continent of Africa — South Africa’s Kruger National Park. There, everything from lions to leopards roam free with rhinos, elephants, buffalos, and hundreds of other smaller species.
Since the park is open to tourists, there are roads throughout, and with traffic coming both ways, the leopard decided she was going to need to play crossing guard so her little ones could get across safely.
The man whose daughter filmed the encounter, 64-year-old Thinus Delport, first caught sight of the fearsome threesome while they were still in the brush. Traffic had already stopped as people viewed yet another awesome sight.
“We hit a traffic jam where a few cars were stationary. It seemed like visitors were looking at a pride of lions. My daughter noticed that in the thicket behind our vehicle, there was a mother leopard trying to move her cubs!!” he told LatestSightings.com.
As the stunning leopardess walks out toward the road, we can see at least two vehicles on the other side waiting for her to do her thing. And her first order of business is to make sure it’s safe for her babies.
She crosses the road herself, looking both ways (and glaring fiercely in both directions) to be sure everyone plans to stop and stay in their cars.
Delport told LatestSightings.com that his family was thrilled to see the majestic creatures up close for the first time.
“Early morning, my daughters and I left the camp looking for leopards. They were convinced that there are no leopards in the Kruger, as neither of them had ever seen one. As we drove, I jokingly convinced them to start singing in the car, to draw the leopards out, and so they did – and to my surprise – it actually worked!”
Of course, a leopard encounter probably only feels lucky when you’re safely in a car.
In the video, mom turns around towards her cubs, giving them the signal that it’s safe to emerge — she’s clearly got the situation under control and feels that she can keep them safe even if some human has the bright idea of trying to approach.
But her cubs are a bit shy.
So, just like any mother waiting for their kids to finally be ready and get going, she has to go back in and remind them that they have places to go.
She emerges with the first cub and is on high alert.
The second one follows close behind as she leads them across the paved road.
The second cub is a little slow and does quite have its motor skills in high gear.
In fact, it decides that crossing the road is an altogether exhausting task and plops down for a rest!
Mom is not amused.
She gets one baby safely across as the other cub turns back the same way it came, making noise all the way.
Surely human moms recognize this same scenario. Getting two kids to do anything is a challenge.
As she goes to pick up her stubborn cub, the first one decides to mosey out into the road again too. (#momlife)
We don’t know what this regal leopardess is thinking, but having to wrangle both of your kids in the middle of the road first thing in the morning while people film you can’t be fun.
She takes a few more steps just to remind everyone to stay back while she deals with her misbehaving kids. She certainly doesn’t have time for any drama from humans at this point!
All that’s left is to give the look of the fed-up mother to her kids. She means business (and they know it!)
Then she walks away — she’s delivered the message that they better be right behind her OR ELSE.
And these might be babies, but they know mom is not having any more of their crap.
The video ends with the duo dutifully trundling along behind her.
Delport said it was the first time he or his family has seen anything like it in the 50 years they’ve been visiting the park. It was a special moment indeed, but no doubt just a typical day in the life of any mother of any species.
Be sure to scroll down below to see the footage.
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