IN PICTURES: Former Zimbabwe cricketer mauled by leopard

Guy Whittall played 46 Tests and 147 ODIs for Zimbabwe between 1993 and 2003, and now runs a safari business with his family in the south-east of the country.

His wife, Hannah Stooks-Whittall, shared a shocking post on Facebook earlier this week, describing how her husband had gone for surgery after a “run-in” with a leopard.

It’s said Guy Whittall was tracking the leopard that had previously been wounded by a client when the incident occurred.

A picture shared by Stooks-Whittall showed her husband being treated in the bush after sustaining cuts to his arms and legs, as well as a severe gash to his head.

After being treated and taken to hospital, Whittall is said to have undergone successful surgery.

Notably, the Facebook post also highlights the fact that although he lost “a lot of blood” in the attack, it could have been far worse if not for the intervention of their “faithful” dog, Chikara, who apparently helped fight the leopard off.

“Chikara [is] coming up tomorrow to the vet after being mauled by the leopard and getting the cat off Guy!” she wrote. “Very special boy.

Guy Whittall is now recovering after the leopard attack

A subsequent picture showed Whittall in hospital with his head heavily bandaged, but giving a thumbs-up to the camera.

“Guy and I are overwhelmed by the hundreds of messages of well-wishers after Guy’s run in with a wounded leopard earlier today,” his wife wrote on social media. “We are very fortunate that he was stabilized at Hippo Clinic by wonderful staff. He was then Airlifted from Buffalo Range by Ace Ambulance to Harare, then transferred to Milton Park Hospital for treatment.”

Not the first scary wildlife encounter

In 2013, another story came to light, showing how Whittall had discovered an eight-foot, 165kg Nile crocodile that had made its way into his bedroom at a game reserve.

Back then, Whittall described how he had dangled his feet over the side of the bed before leaving the room, only being alerted to the presence of the crocodile by the terrified screams of the housemaid.

“He really is one lucky man,” Hannah told MailOnline. “First, he had the crocodile, and now the leopard, he really is the cat with nine lives.”

“He was so fortunate that Chikara was there to help him and get the leopard off him; otherwise, who knows how it might have ended,” she added.

“We are so grateful to him, and Chikara going to get some extra chicken as a treat. He’s got to see the vet as he has a few scratches and but he should be ok, he’s in better shape than Guy.

“Fortunately, Guy is up in bed and talking; he’s telling anyone who will listen how he wrestled with a leopard, but we all know it was down to Chikara.”