Leopard playing in tree told off by mum (pictures)

Even in the animal kingdom unruly offspring have to be told off – and this leopard taught her cub a lesson it would never forget.

The six-month-old cub was playing on the lower branches of a tree when the mother was roused from her slumber and leapt at her young - swatting him with her paws and leaving him hanging from the branch.

The agile feline then jumped the three-metre distance again – finally forcing her cub to fall to the ground as its sibling watched on from below.

Daniel Fincham, a 23-year-old game ranger, captured the sequence of photographs in the Sabi Sands Game Reserve in South Africa.

He told Barcroft Media: "I saw her jump and whack him off the branch, he was hanging there for some time.

"I quickly got out my camera and was just in time to capture her jumping for a second time, this time causing him to fall to the ground."

He added: "The two cubs had been playing on the tree while the mother was lying under them sleeping for the morning.

"This cub and his sibling have been much entertainment since they were born and I have had the pleasure of seeing them almost every day growing up. I'm looking forward to seeing their development."

Despite the strong admonishment from their mother, the two cubs spent the rest of the morning playing and climbing trees.