Two leopards were pictured throwing everything at each other as they brawled in mid-air in the Auob River bed, in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in South Africa.
Fanie Heymans, 52, captured these incredible photographs, showing two female leopards fighting over territory.
Fanie Heymans, 52, captured stunning images of two female leopards fighting over territory in South Africa
The pair were captured fighting tooth and nail as they leaped off the ground before ripping at each other’s fur
Mr Heymans said the big cats only brawled for a total of 15 seconds, but did not hold back as they went for each other
The incident took place in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in South Africa, Mr Heymans recalled
Fanie, 52, said: ‘With adrenaline pumping, growling sounds and a lot of dust, the moment was both exciting and scary.
‘Knowing that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity, I fired away at this leopard fight.
‘It first appeared to be a quarrel between a male and female leopard, but it turns out to be a territorial fight between two female leopards called Miera and Tsamma.
‘The first fight lasted for over ten seconds, but the second one lasted only five seconds. As quick as it started it was over!’
Fanie has recently been following the leopard’s journey on the Kgalagadi Leopard project Facebook page and continues to share her amazing photographs of this rarely captured encounter.
While Mr Heymans thought the pair were male and female, they turned out to be two females named Miera and Tsamma
Leopards can measure up to 10ft long from head to tail tip and weight up to 176lbs, making them excellent hunters and athletic fighters when they choose to take on one of their own
Miera and Tsamma tumble around in the dry bed of the Auob River as they battle over territory in South Africa
The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is located in the Kalahari desert and spans the border between South Africa and Botswana