Althouse: Leopard vs. crocodile.

January 27, 2011

Leopard vs. crocodile.

"It just doesn't make sense. The meat you get out of a crocodile is just not worth the risk it takes a predator to acquire.... I drove away, elated in disbelief. It may have been the most amazing thing I've ever seen."

68 comments:

PaulV said...: WTF FTC Free The Crocs

WV: swshing It was amazing to see the lion swshing the croc thru the air; 1/27/11, 7:09 PM
Revenant said...: I've seen cats attack a laser pointer dot. "This attack is not logical or energy-efficient" is not really the kind of thought that passes through a feline brain.; 1/27/11, 7:09 PM
Saint Croix said...: sweet.; 1/27/11, 7:11 PM
Unknown said...: There was a naturalist from Africa Linkletter had on his show a few times and I remember him saying how leopards were the most fierce and instinctive killers of the big cats.; 1/27/11, 7:15 PM
David said...: It was not a civil leopard.; 1/27/11, 7:16 PM
YoungHegelian said...: Crocodile: The other white meat.; 1/27/11, 7:18 PM
coketown said...: Big cats will eat anything. I don't think they pause to think, "Gee, well, the payoff is so low, and crocodile is soooo gamey, and it is Friday so I technically should stick to fish." Their line of thinking is more like, "I'm going to perish in this desert if I don't eat something! Rawwwrrgh"

Didn't anyone see Planet Earth where that pack-of-somethings (cougars? lions?) took down that elephant?; 1/27/11, 7:26 PM
traditionalguy said...: Leopards like to hunt and kill things moving around them. Like an NFL linebacker.The Crocodile should have played possum.; 1/27/11, 7:27 PM
AST said...: That was a smallish croc. Leopards are smaller than lions. This one may have tired of his leopard skin kill box hat.

wv: ditingo; 1/27/11, 7:47 PM
gadfly said...: Mail Online has pics of three lionesses acquiring lunch for the cubs.; 1/27/11, 7:49 PM
rhhardin said...: They kill a lot of birds, I bet.; 1/27/11, 7:57 PM
Eric said...: A series of incredible pictures taken at a South African game reserve document the first known time that a leopard has taken on and defeated one of the fearsome reptiles.

I don't think this is actually true. I remember seeing the exact same matchup on a nature show years ago.; 1/27/11, 8:00 PM
Curtiss said...: Tastes kinda like chicken.; 1/27/11, 8:06 PM
As my whimsy leads me.. said...: Alligator meat is pretty tasty, if a bit dry. I'd think crocodile would be similar. Besides, it was a mama leopard, and she wanted a new purse.

Toy; 1/27/11, 8:07 PM
Chip Ahoy said...: This wouldn't have happened had the crocodile just upgraded to snow loepard.; 1/27/11, 8:26 PM
The Drill SGT said...: nothing beats the Lion Buffalo Croc fight:

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=d6d_1179792837; 1/27/11, 8:26 PM
Anonymous said...: I think the leopard is in trouble with PETA.; 1/27/11, 8:34 PM
Methadras said...: This was in Africa so the Crocodile represented gays and the Leopard represents fascist white supremacist homophobe, racist, bigoted, evangelical right-wing, anti-gay proselytizers.

The leopard won. A new civility is asked to be observed to win the future.; 1/27/11, 8:41 PM
rcocean said...: You'd think 'Evolution' would've told Leopards not to attack Crocs without a cost/benefit analysis.

I guess 'Evolution' isn't as smart as we think. Or maybe its just lazy.; 1/27/11, 8:43 PM
Peter Hoh said...: "Evolution" doesn't "tell" animals to do this or not do that.; 1/27/11, 8:48 PM
The Drill SGT said...: peter hoh said...
"Evolution" doesn't "tell" animals to do this or not do that.

No but "croc wrestlers" doew get bred out of the leopard Gene pool; 1/27/11, 8:53 PM
Peter Hoh said...: True. There's a lot of cruel neutrality involved in evolution.; 1/27/11, 8:56 PM
rcocean said...: That's the thing about "Evolution" its responsible for everything - except when its not.

Or so we're told.; 1/27/11, 9:03 PM
Anonymous said...: I'm surprised it took the risk of hunting a crocodile when there are all these nice tasty humans around.

Peter; 1/27/11, 9:20 PM
SteveR said...: Croc got a B in Calculus, that it'll learn "em; 1/27/11, 9:32 PM
TBMD said...: Sometimes, you eat the leopard... Sometimes the leopard eats you.; 1/27/11, 9:32 PM
William said...: Crocs have been here since the dinosaurs. They have skills beyond binocular vision, opposable thumbs, and rational minds. They will have the last laugh on all the smart ass species that think they're so damn clever.; 1/27/11, 9:35 PM
The Crack Emcee said...: "It just doesn't make sense."

Sure it does:

It's fun.; 1/27/11, 9:43 PM
NotWhoIUsedtoBe said...: People wrestle alligators. I don't see why a leopard, which is vastly stronger than a person, should have any problem. A cat's gotta eat.

When it comes to food animals are much smarter than we think they are.; 1/27/11, 9:54 PM
Cedarford said...: rcocean said...
You'd think 'Evolution' would've told Leopards not to attack Crocs without a cost/benefit analysis.

I guess 'Evolution' isn't as smart as we think. Or maybe its just lazy

==================
Nah, Leopards are the Edmund Hillaries of predators.
Why attack and try to kill a crocodile 7 times bigger than you?

"Because I'm a leopard and a total badass. And because it was there."

Interestingly, primates have little fear of lions, cheetahs, mambas, hippos, elephants, crocs...but from chimp to gorilla to baboons - they go wild if a leopard is anywhere near them.
A leopard is too fast, too powerful, and can even take down a silverback male gorilla. No refuge, either..leopards as great tree climbers.

We should thank those cat Edmund Hillaries, though, for helping drive evolution, inc our own.
Them and wolves.
Create a hominid society...or be picked off without collective protection by leopards and wolfpacks.

"Uhhhg..rocks drove off spotted terror beast from eating our young and old. Unnnhg, sharp rocks best. The spotted beast hates fire and sharp rock.
Hmmm, sharp rock & fire GOOD!"

"Unngh, coward chimp 'Bubbles' not fight with pack to drive off leopard! He doesn't get to breed for that! He get old, pack leave him as dinner for terrible foe. Fuck Bubbles. One day except with semi-advanced creatures called evangelicals, it will be called evolution. "; 1/27/11, 9:56 PM
Anonymous said...: Hey Cedarford -- The leopard was Jewish. Just so you know. It also supported free trade.; 1/27/11, 9:57 PM
Bart Hall (Kansas, USA) said...: Poor croc. Something he disagreed with ate him.; 1/27/11, 10:08 PM
Wince said...: Unprecedented?

YouTube seems to have several Leopard vs. Croc videos going back a number of years.; 1/27/11, 10:18 PM
NotWhoIUsedtoBe said...: Cedarford-

So 2001 was right?; 1/27/11, 10:34 PM
bagoh20 said...: The Drill SGT:

" nothing beats the Lion Buffalo Croc fight:

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=d6d_1179792837 "

That's amazing. Actually a complete story written there by mother nature. You got to watch to see how it comes out. A surprise ending.; 1/27/11, 10:44 PM
chuck said...: There was a story a few years back about a man in Africa who strangled a leopard that attacked him. I don't recall any more except that the fight lasted a long time. And even if it didn't I bet it felt that way.; 1/27/11, 10:52 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: Opportunity is not just for liberals anymore; 1/27/11, 11:06 PM
Revenant said...: You'd think 'Evolution' would've told Leopards not to attack Crocs without a cost/benefit analysis.

Really? I wouldn't think that. I'm curious why you would, especially since you're a creationist.; 1/27/11, 11:24 PM
rcocean said...: "Really? I wouldn't think that. I'm curious why you would, especially since you're a creationist."

Its interesting how the human species have evolved into two groups, those who believe everything pushed by the "Evolutionists" and the "creationists" - a small knuckle-dragging species who believe the earth was created 6,000 years ago.

Evidently, everyone in-between was killed off in a Darwinian struggle.; 1/27/11, 11:34 PM
rcocean said...: And BTW Rev - since you're incapable of understanding sarcasm - you're a dumbshit and a left-wing ideologue.

But I repeat myself.; 1/27/11, 11:37 PM
Anonymous said...: Rev is most definitely not a left-wing ideologue. If you think that, then it's you who is missing the big picture.

I will say, though, that I don't want to have him as my judge when the Evolution Inquisition trials occur.; 1/27/11, 11:40 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: Animal - Def Leppard

the lead becomes a little lost looking for the key but then he finds it.. and then there is always the one arm bandit.

loved this band back when i was alive.; 1/28/11, 12:25 AM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: Animal - Pearl Jam

La jente de Argentina a sido fantastica con nosotros..; 1/28/11, 12:43 AM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: Animal - R.E.M.; 1/28/11, 12:46 AM
Revenant said...: Its interesting how the human species have evolved into two groups

You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means. :); 1/28/11, 1:01 AM
Anonymous said...: Lem -- You've got this whole band's repertoire: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zol2MJf6XNE

And don't forget The Animals.

Also:

Cat Scratch Fever - Ted Nugent
Free Bird - Lynyrd Skynyrd
onkey Gone To Heaven - Pixies
The Union Of The Snake - Duran Duran
When Doves Cry - Prince
Year Of The Cat - Al Stewart

There's a lot here.; 1/28/11, 1:02 AM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: Bizarre Love Triangle - New Order

Every time I think of you
I feel shot right through with a bolt of blue
It's no problem of mine
But it's a problem I find
Living a life that I can't leave behind
But there's no sense in telling me
The wisdom of the fool won't set you free
But that's the way that it goes
And it's what nobody knows
well every day my confusion grows

Every time I see you falling
I get down on my knees and pray
I'm waiting for that final moment
You say the words that I can't say

The feeling, the certainty that love is animal..; 1/28/11, 1:04 AM
Revenant said...: And BTW Rev - since you're incapable of understanding sarcasm - you're a dumbshit and a left-wing ideologue.

Well! If you're going to be like that, I'll just go sulk in my secret evolution bunker deep beneath Democratic Party HQ.; 1/28/11, 1:05 AM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: I like The Union Of The Snake - Duran Duran

thanks macho..; 1/28/11, 1:11 AM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: animals are Magic - Olivia Newton-John

Given the new realities of freedom of association we have been experiencing politically.. couldn't I be forgiven if I said that Animals are magic ;)

Crack bait..; 1/28/11, 1:26 AM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: That Leopard was Like A Hurricane - Neil Young; 1/28/11, 1:32 AM
Shanna said...: The Drill SGT:

" nothing beats the Lion Buffalo Croc fight: http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=d6d_1179792837 "

That was pretty freaking sweet.

Leopards rule. Alligators are tasty, why not croc's?; 1/28/11, 7:05 AM
Fred4Pres said...: Sometimes a croc just pisses a leopard off.; 1/28/11, 8:45 AM
Original Mike said...: ""Evolution" doesn't "tell" animals to do this or not do that."

Actually, it kinda does. It just takes a few generations for the lesson to sink in.; 1/28/11, 9:08 AM
Cedarford said...: John Lynch said...
Cedarford-

So 2001 was right?

=================
Without the monolith, yes. Studies of chimp packs show that their society is based on protection from predators (Leopards and rival chimps) and for cooperative hunting.

Hobbs, Locke, Rousseau generally got it right in determining the core basis of why we are organized as societies.

It wasn't because hominids decided there was a moral obligation to band together to care for the elderly or subsidize lazy hominid mommas or packs of newly arriving no skill hominids who had different rules and culture.

Maybe there were Democrat thinking hominid packs - but Darwin soon took care of that.; 1/28/11, 9:22 AM
CatherineM said...: ""Evolution" doesn't "tell" animals to do this or not do that."

Perhaps the cat was young and more likely to go after prey an older more experienced cat would say, not worth the trouble.

Revenant - the laser pointer is my friend. My cat is obsessed with fetching and will do it all night if I let her (and perhaps I would like to read or watch a movie). Gives her something to chase and try to "kill."; 1/28/11, 9:39 AM
MaggotAtBroad&Wall said...: If this story had appeared in the Guardian, rather than the Telegraph, the writer would have linked the cat's bizarre behavior to how global warming has screwed up the cat's eco-system causing it to take undue risks to survive.; 1/28/11, 10:04 AM
Fernandinande said...: The astonishing spectacle of a leopard savaging a crocodile has been captured for the first time on camera.

There's lots of videos at youtube; whenever you see "co.uk" at the end of a 'news' URL...BS alert!; 1/28/11, 10:50 AM
Big Mike said...: Or maybe that croc ate one of the leopard's cubs and the leopard was out for revenge? Who knows what a leopard thinks?

To paraphrase a famous movie scene, all a leopard wants to do is eat, sleep, and make cubs.; 1/28/11, 10:58 AM
Robin said...: William obviously does not read Stephen Pastis.; 1/28/11, 11:15 AM
virgil xenophon said...: MMMMMMmmmmmmm....Alligator sauce piquante! YUM!!; 1/28/11, 11:37 AM
virgil xenophon said...: PS: Crocs will do as a substitute--don't get many crocs down on the Bayou...; 1/28/11, 11:39 AM
Susan said...: It's cats 1 lizzards 0 in my backyard, too.; 1/28/11, 11:50 AM
ken in tx said...: I am conflicted. Between a mammal and a reptile, I root for the mammal. Between a cat and anything else, I root for anything else. Cats are only nominal mammals. They are really snakes with fur.; 1/28/11, 11:59 AM
LordSomber said...: This was the leopard's "Sputnik Moment."; 1/28/11, 1:07 PM
dbp said...: The leopard should have done a cost/benifit analysis. That he sucked at math was bad news for the croc.; 1/28/11, 2:12 PM
George said...: Go Team Mammal!; 1/29/11, 6:06 PM
A_Nonny_Mouse said...: Maybe it's as simple as "Hmm. Croc. These things kill cubs. Kill it first. Bonus: I can eat it."; 1/29/11, 10:14 PM