Pretoria - The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) in Tshwane is warning residents not to risk their lives just to take videos and pictures of dangerous animals that are out on the loose.
The warning comes after social media videos of a leopard running loose in the community of Klipgat, north of Pretoria have been seen doing the rounds since yesterday afternoon.
In one of the videos, the leopard can be seen trying to hide behind some old used bricks with community members lurking in the background.
General manager at the SPCA in Waltloo, Dewald Wahlstrand, confirmed the incident and said they were called in because of panic to assist the community yesterday afternoon.
Wahlstrand said their team had managed to find the animal relatively unscathed, darted it and transported it to a place of safety.
From their information, he said the leopard seems to have escaped from a nearby nature reserve which is close to the community.
“The community was said to have found it underneath a car in one of the yards.
“Currently, we’re still assessing its health and will determine how it escaped before returning it to the reserve.”
Of the excitement around the unusual find, Wahlstrand urged community members to take caution when around wild animals such as the leopard.
“Approaching an animal like that is just like walking into the lion's den at the zoo, it's not advisable or safe.
“For the simple fact that as soon as that animal feels threatened it will attack.”
Pretoria News