WARNING: Some viewers might find the photos in this article disturbing.
Meet 'Nottens', a 17-year-old leopard who refuses to act her age ...
Well-known to safari guides in South Africa's Sabi Sands Private Game Reserve, this iconic cat recently dropped off the radar for 12 weeks, leaving staff at the wildlife reserve to assume the worst. In the wild, leopards typically live for 12-17 years, which puts Nottens well into her retirement.
But the skilled huntress wasn't going to let old age get her down. Proving that you're only as old as you feel, Nottens made a surprise comeback earlier this month when she killed a baby impala and dragged the lamb up a tree. Safari guide and photographer, Quintin van der Merwe was there to capture the cat's triumphant return in this incredible (but gory) photo series.
Early summer is calving season for impalas and many of the newborns fall victim to opportunistic predators. It's likely that Nottens specifically targeted a young impala, aware that the lambs are easier to catch than the adults and their soft bones are not as taxing on the teeth. "[W]ith one bite she crushed the skull of the baby impala," van der Merwe recounts. "The sounds were something else, and sensitive viewers found this hard to handle, but it is nature in its purest form ... this was truly one of the most incredible things I have seen".
Fun (Untrue) Fact: Although there is no realiably scientific method to calculate the equivalent 'human age' of this 17-year-old cat, popular theories would put her at about 84. You go, Grandma Nottens.
Predator vs Prey
Predator vs Prey
Animal Behaviour
