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Na savana, a presa deve correr mais depressa do que o leopardo consegue.

Na savana, a presa deve correr mais depressa do que o leopardo consegue.
In the savanna, the prey must run faster than the leopard can.
From Lesson 490:Comparatives with clauses (do que)·Portuguese (Portugal)

Questions & Answers about Na savana, a presa deve correr mais depressa do que o leopardo consegue.

Since this lesson is about clausal comparatives, is the word 'do' mandatory in 'do que' here?
Yes. When comparing an action to a full dependent clause (one with a conjugated verb, like consegue), you must use do que. If you were just comparing a noun without a verb (e.g., 'faster than the leopard'), you could use either que or do que.
Why use consegue instead of pode to translate 'can'?
Conseguir focuses on physical ability, effort, or managing to do something. Poder is mostly used for permission or possibility. Since running fast is a matter of physical capability for the leopard, consegue is the correct choice.
Could I say mais rápido instead of mais depressa?
Yes, but mais depressa is the traditionally correct way to say 'faster' because depressa is an adverb modifying the verb correr. However, in everyday Portuguese, it is very common to hear people use the adjective rápido as an adverb and say correr mais rápido.
Why does the sentence use definite articles (a presa, o leopardo) when talking about these animals in general?
In Portuguese, definite articles are required when talking about a general class, species, or broad concept. While English simply says 'prey' or 'leopards' without an article, Portuguese uses a presa and o leopardo to represent the entire species.
Can I repeat the verb and say '... do que o leopardo consegue correr'?
You can, but just like in English, the main verb is usually left out at the end of the clause to avoid repetition. The sentence sounds much more natural stopping at consegue.

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