The next time you’re afraid to go to the dentist, keep in mind that even leopards have to brave dental work sometimes! Bagheera, the leopard, recently underwent an action-packed journey back into the wild in a story that involves a stolen cow, an upset farmer, leopard root canals and many kind people.
North West, South Africa (03 September 2024) — Most leopards won’t ever have to face one of the most frightening experiences humankind has to offer—a trip to the dentist. However, one male leopard named Bagheera wasn’t quite so lucky after getting his paws on a cow, which didn’t go quite as planned for the big cat.
During the heart of winter, Bagheera had seemingly successfully stolen a cow from a farmer in the North West. However, once he was discovered as the cow culprit, Bagheera found himself caught in a ‘predator trap’—a steel number that left him in unchartered and uncomfortable territory.
However, Bagheera’s luck hadn’t run out just yet. Soon, the Owl Rescue Centre (which has been involved in thousands of rescues and relocations this year alone, including Chunkywon the hippo) were alerted to his plight and were on the road to his rescue.
It was still a much longer road until Bagheera could be released back home into the wild, largely due to the mother of all inconveniences—tooth problems. While in rehab with Professor Steenkamp, it became apparent that Bagheera’s pearly whites had sustained damage during the steel trap ordeal, meaning that he needed a root canal urgently.
As many of us who have been on the necessity end of a root canal know first-hand, the costs are not kind (even if you’re a leopard). On top of this, Bagheera also needed a special collar—one his rescuers dubbed a ‘parole collar’—so that he could be tracked. This way, the team are able to virtually follow the animal’s movements and make sure he stays out of traps and trouble.
But, thanks to the ever-determined animal-first efforts of the Owl Rescue Centre’s team and a local radio station, Bagheera’s R46,000 bill was raised with some spare change for coffee—just in time for the cat to get back into action ahead of spring.
Bagheera was released in early August in a happy ending for all involved and the team have kept a close eye on him since.
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Sources: Owl Rescue Centre
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