Among the millions of beetle species on Earth, few are as intriguing as dung beetles — not for their appearance, but for their namesake behavior. Dung beetles are known for finding and collecting dung, which they roll home to use as a food source for themselves and their young.
It’s a survival technique that fascinates biologists and casual observers alike.
But humans aren’t the only ones curious about dung beetles.
Recently, wildlife photographer Nick Kleer was on safari in South Africa’s Mala Mala Game Reserve when he happened upon a unique scene.
A short way off, a humble dung beetle was dutifully going about his work, rolling a ball of dung across the road. Kleer, however, was not the only one who noticed. The beetle’s activity had also attracted the attention of a nearby leopard, who, ignoring Kleer completely, appeared transfixed by what the insect was up to.
She just had to move in for a closer look — a memorable moment Kleer was able to capture on video:
The trademark curiosity of domesticated cats clearly still runs strong in their larger, wild counterparts.
Fortunately, upon the leopard’s closer inspection, neither the beetle nor his cargo was deemed appealing enough to warrant a taste.
In images like those above, Kleer’s photography spotlights one of Africa’s most iconic big cats — animals worthy of cherishing and protecting.
According to the World Land Trust, “African leopards have suffered from habitat loss and fragmentation, increased illegal wildlife trade, decline in prey and poorly managed trophy hunting.”
But thanks to protected reserves like Mala Mala, leopards, dung beetles and countless other animals can still live and explore freely.
