Amazing cannibal leopard EATS a cub in its mouth before climbing up a tree

AN adult leopard has been captured on camera eating another of its species in a series of gruesome and gory photos.The graphic images show the wild animal carrying the mutilated body of a leopard cub in its mouth before climbing up a tree with it.It then appears to save its 'meal' for later by hanging it from a branch to stop other animals getting their paws on his catch.It’s likely the leopard killed the young cub so it could mate with its mother, something that is commonplace in the animal kingdom.
But while infanticide is a regular occurrence, it's unusual for animals to eat the cub, as this leopard can be seen doing.
The shocking snaps were taken by Warrick Davey, 29, a field guide at &Beyond's Exeter River Lodge, South Africa.Warrick, from Scottburgh, South Africa was taking a group of guests on a safari tour when he spotted the leopard.He said that many of the guests on his tour were so horrified by the tragic incident that they were left speechless.
Warrick added: "The adult leopard is a male, known as the Ravenscourt male, who is around four years old. The cub was a young male around a year old.

"It was complete surprise. I heard over the radio that a leopard had been found, but was not expecting to find what we did when we arrived."The series of photos starts off with the male leopard carrying the cub in his mouth."As we arrived the leopard cub carcass, which was hanging in the tree, dropped to the ground.

“Immediately the male leopard, which was resting in the shade of the tree on the ground, jumped up and seized the carcass and hoisted it back up the tree.

"He then places the carcass, comes down the tree and finds a spot to rest. However he repeatedly looks up to make sure it is still there, which is what we see in the final photo.
"This action of infanticide is actually quite common with a lot of animals, especially big cats.

"The interesting behaviour though is that he chose to eat the cub too. This I have never witnessed before with leopards."I was ecstatic for having captured the photos, yet still taken aback by what we had just witnessed."This was a first for me, as well as my tracker Chris who has been working in the Sabi Sands for over 20 years.

"I think it is very unlikely we'll ever see anything like this again. Chris is convinced that something is changing with animals, their behaviour is different to what it used to be.“Maybe there is something in the water."