A guide at South Africa’s most famous national park survived a leopard attack after a tourist scared the animal away with his car, Kruger National Park said.
The incident occurred Thursday afternoon at the wild animal game park as the guide drove an Open Safari Vehicle past some leopards. One of the leopards was just 2 meters (6.5 feet) away when the six to eight people in the vehicle lost sight of it.
The leopard had gone around to the driver’s side and jumped at the guide, clamping down on his arm.
“Everybody in the OSV started hitting the leopard with any object they had with them,” the park said.
A tourist driving another vehicle raced over and used the truck to scare away the leopard.
“We would like to thank the tourist from another vehicle for his quick and decisive action as he saved the guide and tourists’ lives,” park general manager William Mabasa said in the statement.
The guide was treated for his injuries.
Kruger National Park receives about 1 million guests per year.
Last month, an American tourist was mauled to death by a lioness at Lion Park in South Africa’s Gauteng province. Katherine Chappell was attacked through an open window as she took photos.