Leopard mauls guide in attack on vehicle carrying tourists in South African wildlife park

JOHANNESBURG – Authorities in South Africa say a leopard has mauled a wildlife guide in an attack on an open tourist safari vehicle in the country's flagship wildlife park.

Kruger National Park says the attack happened Thursday after a guide and his passengers watched a leopard that was over 6 feet (two meters) from their vehicle. A park statement says the leopard "cunningly disappeared" around the side of the vehicle and then leaped up and grabbed the guide's arm.

The statement says tourists hit the leopard with whatever they could find, but the leopard only let go of the guide's arm and fled after a tourist in another vehicle scared it away.

Park spokesman William Mabasa says the guide was treated for lacerations and released.