20th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
A young leopard attacking a mugger crocodile

In Sri Lanka the apex predator is the Sri Lanan Leopard. This particular leopard was an adlescent and was a bit adventurous. It was walking away from us along the edge of a dried up water hole and stopped after seeing this mugger crocodile sunbathing at the very ege of the water hole. The leopard was in an adventurous mood and suddenly attacked the crocodile. The crocodile was seen surprised by this sudden unproviked attack. It is almost unheard of that leopards attack crocodiles, well atleast in Sri Lanka. Here in this photograph the leopard is seen having it's paw right on top of the head of the Crododile.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 08.2022
Date Uploaded: 10.2022
Photo Location: Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka
Camera: NIKON D500
Copyright: © Hikkaduwa Liyanage Prasantha Vinod