Anti-poaching dog survives leopard attack

A reserve close to the Kruger National Park recently had one of its anti-poaching dogs attacked by a leopard, but luckily, she is recovering well.

The dog, Storm, is about four years old, and has been a fantastic asset in the field, said the reserve’s environmental officer.

The incident occurred late on the afternoon of July 27, he explained. The rangers had just returned from a patrol and let her into the fenced “run area”, which is where these dogs go before going into a more secure area.

There was a young leopard on the other side of the fence, and an altercation ensued between the two animals – fortunately with a fence in between them. The environmental officer said the rangers immediately responded and chased the leopard off. They proceeded to administer first aid to Storm before taking her to the White River Animal Hospital.

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The hospital said Storm had sustained several claw marks around her neck and a large gaping wound on the bridge of her nose.

“This wound was made by the leopard’s one upper canine, which crushed a part of the nasal bone, leaving pieces of splintered bone behind as well as a big bone deficit over the nasal cavity.

“Her wounds were all cleaned up, drains inserted, and the wound on her nose closed with several layers of tissue.

“She is a strong dog! She was up and about within 30 minutes of her surgery, wanting to go for a walk (or a run).”

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The environmental officer praised the hospital for the excellent work it had done to help Storm on her road to recovery.

He added that, due to the fencing between her and the leopard when the incident occurred, there were no life-threatening injuries to either one of the animals. The leopard has since been spotted again, and is healthy.

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