Watch Warthogs Run For Their Lives As Leopard Attacks

Warthogs in South Africa spotted a leopard almost too late as the big cat ambushed them. (Watch the video below.)

But the warthogs accelerated and darted to discourage the leopard just seconds into the chase at Kruger National Park.

Commenters on Latest Sightings’ YouTube video, shared Tuesday, noted how surprisingly quick the warthogs are.

The outcome was no surprise to Nadav Ossendryver, the founder of Latest Sightings, which shares wildlife footage. “Eighty percent of hunts are failures,” he told HuffPost. “Prey animals are very fast, but they also have stamina.”

Indeed, a leopard’s top speed is 36 miles an hour, according to Untamed Animals, while warthogs can sprint to about 30 miles an hour. But a warthog can reach maximum velocity swiftly and has much more endurance, AfricaFreak noted.

The leopard dashed at a piglet initially, but the predators are wary of adult warthogs because of their tusks, “which can easily kill a leopard,” Ossendryver said. “I’ve seen that myself.”

In this pursuit, score one for the warthogs.

“Sightings like this are what makes it all worth it!” Jan-Louis Human, who shot the footage with photographic guide Moosa Varachia, told Latest Sightings.