Former Zimbabwean cricketer Guy Whittall found himself hospitalized after a harrowing encounter with a leopard earlier this week, adding another chapter to his history of brushes with wildlife. Whittall had previously narrowly escaped a frightening ordeal with a large crocodile that had stealthily positioned itself under his bed while he slept.

Confirmation of the leopard attack came from Whittall’s wife, Hannah Stooks-Whittall, who shared details of the incident via a Facebook post. Despite the gravity of the situation, Whittall’s injuries were fortunately not as severe as they could have been. Credit for this was partly attributed to the brave intervention of his loyal canine companion, Chikara. Chikara fearlessly stepped in to defend Whittall and deter the leopard, preventing further harm.

This incident underscores the inherent dangers associated with living in regions where encounters with dangerous wildlife are not uncommon, as is often the case in Zimbabwe. Whittall’s resilience and the timely assistance from his faithful canine friend undoubtedly played a crucial role in averting what could have been a tragic outcome.