Incredible footage shows leopard looking after orphaned impala

This is the incredibly rare moment a leopard appeared to adopt a baby impala after it lost its mother at a game reserve.

A tourist to the Greater Kruger National Park in South Africa captured footage of the two animals resting together.

The clip begins with the big cat charging at the defenceless baby, and at first everything looks to be going wrong for the impala.

Oh dear: The big cat charges at the impala and at first everything looks to be going wrong for baby animal

But in a remarkable move the leopard stops short of attacking and instead appears to play with the young animal.

The shocked tourist continues to film as the two animals run around with each other before settling down in the long grass.

Halt: The leopard stops short of attacking however and instead appears to play with the young animal

Later the impala – a medium-sized African antelope – even approaches the big cat and the animals rub their faces together while onlookers continue to photograph the odd pairing.

The video concludes with the leopard taking a rest alongside the baby as it stands over the predator.

Friends? Later the baby impala approaches the big cat and the animals rub their faces together

Since appearing online, viewers have debated whether the leopard has indeed adopted the role of a mother.

Or whether it is merely playing with its food – in the same way a domestic cat would toy with a mouse or bird.

Shocked tourists take photographs of the two animals settling down and resting together in the long grass

There have been examples of predators caring for animals, which should really be considered prey, in the past.

In 2002, a lioness in Kenya adopted as many as three baby oryx and was even said to have mourned the death of one after it was inevitably killed by a male lion.

Viewers have debated whether the leopard’s intentions were genuine and it was playing the role of a mother

Some people have suggested that the animal was acting in the same way a domestic cat would do with a bird

One viewer wrote: ‘That head bump he does is a cat social greeting,’ suggesting that the predator was not looking upon the impala as a snack.

However the general consensus appears to be that the big cat was simply biding its time.

Another viewed said: ‘Maybe the leopard is waiting for it to grow into a bigger meal.’

Writing in the video’s comment section, Kruger Sightings, who posted to clip online, wrote: ‘The filmmaker had to leave, and they went back the next day.

‘There was no update. However, in my opinion, the impala didn’t make it.’