Here’s some really sad news coming out of Kruger National Park and something no one likes to hear – a leopard has been put down after it attacked a tour guide.

An open safari vehicle was ferrying six tourists around the iconic park when they came across a leopard close to the Skukuza camp. The elusive cat managed to duck out of sight and reappear on the driver’s side where it attacked 38-year-old guide Curtis Plumb. It grabbed hold of Plumb’s arm and attempted to manoeuvre itself into the vehicle. KNP spokesman William Mabasa quoted below on News24:

 Everybody in the vehicle started hitting the leopard with any object they had with them. The leopard would not let go of the guide’s arm; until a tourist from another vehicle rushed and repeatedly used his vehicle to scare off the animal and that is when it eventually let go.

In the scuffle, when it eventually fell down, the guide was trying to reverse his vehicle and it fell under the wheel. On its own it was injured, probably from fighting with another leopard.

With the animal suffering extensive injuries officials believed the best course of action was to put the cat down. As for Plumb the full extent of his injuries are not yet known, although he did suffer lacerations to his arm which will be treated in theatre.

There really is no good news to come out of this one. I’m of the belief that the animals were there long before us but I guess you can’t have a wounded and aggressive leopard prowling around what is a tourist cash cow.

[source:news24]