Video: Nilgai stares down leopard, sends big cat retreating

A dramatic wildlife encounter at Jaipur's Jhalana Leopard Reserve has gone viral on social media. The video shows the reserve's famous leopard, Rana—widely known as the "King of Jhalana"—coming face-to-face with a fearless nilgai at a waterhole. Rana initially tried to assert his dominance by growling and displaying aggressive body language, but the nilgai remained unfazed, calmly drank water, and then advanced toward the leopard with its long, sharp horns. The two stood eye-to-eye for a tense few moments as stunned safari tourists watched in silence, expecting a fierce clash. However, after assessing the much larger opponent, Rana chose to back away instead of attacking, allowing the nilgai to walk off unharmed. The rare and thrilling encounter, witnessed by tourists and captured on camera, has since gone viral online.