The leopard is a frequent visitor to the Indian village.
Farmers are not against such a neighborhood – cats exterminate field pests, the crop comes out more – and cats are afraid of people.
But that time it was different.
The female with the cub frequented the fields near the village, frightening the peasants.
Complaints from local residents reached the highest courts, and a trapping specialist was sent from the Department of Wild Animals.
A cage with live bait was set up in the field, and the next night a female leopard was caught in it.
The cat was taken to the nearest forest and released there – away from the fields. The kitten was left alone.
A month later, complaints began to come in again: farmers here and there met a young leopard.
They were sure it was a missing female leopard cub.
When Department officers arrived at the scene, they found an incredible scene that made even seasoned hunters’ jaws drop.
Farmers lived in a hut on the outskirts of the village.
And at night, a leopard climbed into their yard – most likely, the same one that bothered the local peasants.
She approached the cow, but instead of throwing herself at her… she rubbed against her and lay down beside her.
Night after night, the big cat came into the yard to cuddle with the cow.
The cow, surprisingly, did not show the slightest fear. She acted like the leopard was her calf: she hugged her neck, licked her and lay next to her, cuddling her side.
This story has captured the hearts of people around the world.
On some nights, 30 people gathered in the surrounding bushes and on the roof of the hut – but this did not seem to bother the leopard at all.
The cat kept coming. Gradually, even the other horned inhabitants of the yard ceased to be afraid of the leopard.
She never once touched them, she ignored them as if they were completely inedible.
What is the reason for this strange and touching attachment, no one has been able to find out exactly.
The prime minister’s wife, who herself once raised an orphan tiger cub, believes that the motherless leopard met this cow – perhaps she also lost a calf – and imprinting occurred.
Since then, they have treated each other like a family, forgetting about species differences.
And the local peasants simply believe that the cow and the leopard were friends in a past life.
