I took out a LEOPARD with a 30 shot combo after the beast burst into our tent… blood poured from my fists as I lay down inside
A FATHER who was attacked by a leopard has revealed how he saved his and his partner’s lives by hitting it with his bare hands.
Gavin Allderman and Jill Sheard had camped on top of their campsite safari truck inside Botswana when they heard an ominous nearby growl.
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Gavin, van Cape Townsaid he attached motion sensor lights around his truck and clambered back inside, feeling a false sense of security.
The father-of-two added that it didn’t take long for that to change.
The leopard lay in wait and took the opportunity to strike when it assumed the pair had fallen asleep.
Around 1:30 a.m., Gavin was awakened by movement on the ladder leading to the tent.
When Gavin realized the leopard had started climbing the ladder, he started shouting and cursing, but it was no deterrent.
The leopard jumped into gear, clambered up the last few steps, and launched itself straight into the tent.
He said: “Its claws were gripping the thin fabric and its head was inches from my face and I started furiously hitting it in the face with my bare fists, fighting for our lives to keep it out.
“We were both screaming and shouting and Jill was lashing out at it with her pillow and her book as it pulled its head back and tried to bite through the tent and its teeth were just inches away.
“I was aware of the blood spurting from my fist in large quantities, but I just kept punching and screaming, adrenaline rushing through me as I fought for life.”
The frightened father added that the leopard did not make a single sound during the entire attack; all that could be heard was the sound of his breathing.
Instead, he was hyper fixated on his mission, eyes focused on his goal, desperate to get into the tent and eat.
Gavin said he is still terrified of the attack, revealing how energy-consuming the battle against the beast had been.
He revealed: “I must have used all my energy to punch him at least thirty times and after what seemed like an eternity the leopard retreated down the ladder.
‘It must have lasted about a minute and Jill took out a pillow and wrapped it around one of my fists to try to stop the blood flow while we thought about what to do to get out of there.
“I heard what sounded like the leopard jumping on the hood. It looked like a horror movie. I thought we were going to fight for our lives all night.”
Gavin recalled that the leopard reappeared at the foot of the ladder and said he and Jill sprayed water at it, which had no effect.
He knew his only option was to drive them away.
Fighting his fear, Gavin climbed out of the tent, dropped down the other side and made his way to the driver’s door.
The brave survivor then managed to drive an incredible two miles to a neighboring camp, with blood pouring over him and Jill still perched on the roof on top of the truck.
Having Jill on top was helpful, though, Gavin said, because he got her to keep an eye on the leopard as they headed to the next camp.
It wasn’t until the couple reached the next camp and Jill was able to administer first aid that they realized how lucky they were to be alive.
Gavin said: “What a night! We realized how lucky we were to be alive.
“My skin crawled as I realized how close we had been and how we had driven this murderer away with my fists.
“I grabbed a bottle of whiskey and we both drank from it politely to calm our jittery nerves.”
After reporting the incident the next morning at the Mabua Gate of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Camp, Gavin was given an anti-tetanus shot.
He told officials and two veterinarians that he usually carries an ax and a driver’s knife when camping on the ground, but that he dropped the habit because of the false sense of security he felt.
Leopards are perhaps the smallest African big cats, but they are still exceptionally powerful beasts that can reach speeds of 40 miles per hour and jump about 20 feet high.
Obviously leopards tend not to attack humans without provocation, but the lucky survivors suspect that this animal was desperate for food.
The attack took place at the Bosobogolo camp in the 15,000 square kilometer Kgalagadi Park in the Kalahari Desert, both in Botswana and inland Botswana. South Africa.
Gavin has been visiting the park for 43 years and said: “This was my closest leopard sighting though!”
The father-of-two vowed to return next year and wished the leopard well.
He said: “I feel very sorry for it because it was clearly starving and desperate to attack us.
“But having said that, I would go back there tomorrow, it’s the most beautiful place. Once you get to the Kalahari it’s so remote that all you’re dealing with is the wildlife.
“There’s no other place like it. Jill and I will be back soon.”
One model had to undergo three separate surgeries after her pregnancy mauled by a leopard during a photo shoot in Germany.
Jessica – also known as Lady Butterfly – told local media at the time: “It kept biting my cheek, ear and head repeatedly.”
“Every time I looked at the ground, I had double vision. When I turned to the right or left, my vision became blurry.”
And in July 2022, a six-year-old girl was found brutally murdered by a leopard in her hometown of Kashmir, India.
She was playing outside her home on Friday when the leopard reportedly struck and carried her off into the night.
Locals followed the sounds of her screams and rushed into the darkness, only to find her dead from her wounds after 30 minutes.
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