One Hungry (and very brave), Little Mouse
This extraordinary scene was captured by photography student Casey Gutteridge at the Santago Rare Leopard Project in Hertfordshire. The 19-year-old, from Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, who was photographing the leopard for a course project, was astounded by the mouse’s behaviour.
He said: “I have no idea where the mouse came from – he just appeared in the enclosure after the keeper had dropped in the meat for the leopard. He didn’t take any notice of the leopard, just went straight over to the meat and started feeding himself.
The leopard was pretty surprised – she bent down and sniffed the mouse and flinched a bit like she was scared. In the meantime the mouse just carried on eating like nothing had happened.”
Even a gentle shove doesn't deter the little creature from getting his fill!
“It was amazing, even the keeper who had thrown the meat into the enclosure was shocked – he said he’d never seen anything like it before.”
Project owner Jackie James added: “It was so funny to see – Sheena batted the mouse a couple of times to try to get it away from her food, but the determined little thing took no notice and just carried on.”
Sheena was brought in to the Santago Rare Leopard Project from a UK zoo when she was just four months old. She is one of 14 big cats in the private collection started by Jackie’s late husband Peter in 1989. The African Leopard can be found in the continent’s forests, grasslands, savannas, and rainforests.
....so the little brave mouse continued to eat the leopard's lunch and show the leopard who was boss!
Did you turn off your LIKE button?
No, I didn’t. I better go check it out, thanks Eliz.
I just checked, and my Like Button is still there. Wonder why you didn’t see it?
How magical… now I wonder how it ended!
That’s what I’d like to know!
Very sweet, though I do wonder what happened later on, because cats like to play with their food! I can feed my cats til they pop but if they see a mouse or a bird it is an immediate reaction to nab it. Hunting is instinctual. The big cat seems to have lost some of his natural instincts in the zoo.. What an amazing shot of the cat nudging the mouse! c
I was thinking the same thing Cecilia – the last photo might not have been so sweet, once the leopard realized what was happening. Amazing shots though.
dangerous meeting – for one of them!
I wonder how that liaison ended?
I sure hope the student photographer got an A+ for the project! The sweetness of this brought tears to my eyes. Now if people, especially politicians and bureaucrats, could be as civil.
. . . . if only!
Oh I just LOVE this!! What a sweet leopard and such a gutsy little mouse! I wish people were so compassionate as this leopard!
We still have a lot to learn from animals RD!
Barb…this is just halarious. It goes to show that even a leapord is domesticated in some way. She has grown accustomed to not having to hunt and had no idea what that little brave mouse was!
I think the leopard was in shock!
The gentle giant..love it!
Thanks for your comment, Karen.
Holy crap, you’d think the leopard would say, “when did we start getting appetizers?” LOL That mouse has big ones.
That is really something.
Pretty special!
I loved your blog, and gave it a Bean’s Pat on my blog today.
Thanks for the mention on your blog Pat, I appreciate it, and glad you love my blog. Nice to see a new face here!
How adorable! What a great story Barb.
Too good not to share!
I LOVE it!!
Glad to hear you liked it!
Darling photo
Thanks Cathy!
Gorgeous cat and brave mouse! What an interesting story!
Bella and DiDi
I reckon he must have been so hungry, it took over his fear!
Hi,
OMG that is just so gorgeous, I love it. The mouse is looking up and it’s like he’s saying “Well what is your problem”. So strange the mouse didn’t take off, I am amazed.
They are amazing photographs – perhaps the leopard was just too stunned at the cheekiness of the mouse!
You may be right, but still amazing that the leopard just didn’t open up and bite down.
Made me smile as well at marvel at the beauty of the beast (the leopard of course). Plucky little mouse!
I think the leopard was too stunned to do anything!
Boy, that guy must have been so happy to get these amazing shots!!! What a curious event?! But over and above all … the cuteness factor in this post is very high! One gets happy by looking at them
Can you imagine how excited he was to get those shots? Right place, right time for him!
Amen! Love this story. Thanks for sharing.
I couldn’t resist sharing this one, Rumpy!
Wow, very interesting.
Oh my Barb, how sweet. Who would have thunk it?
Exactly! Wish I’d been that photographer!
that is one very brave mouse, or a very kind leopard
A very brave mouse and a stunned leopard I think!
the pictures are extraordinary. Humans are the only ones who eat when they are not hungry or who eat everything in sight just for the heck of it. heh heh.
Good lesson for us humans in your comment Joss.
As elephants are reputed to be afraid of mice, why not leopards too?
That’s a valid point, Viv!
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Thanks for the pingback, Tilly!
Wow! And awwwwww
Amazing, huh?
Animals are so amazing.
They never cease to amaze me.