An intimidating rhino held the full attention of a pride of lions as it walked through the bushveld. The large creature moved as though ‘boss’, and held the pride’s focus, as well as the attention of Lambert Fourie, who filmed the special sighting.
This territorial animal was determined that the land wasn’t big enough for himself and for the pride, and marched with steady steps to assert his dominance.
Young lions scatter as rhino bully approaches
Ahead of the rhino, some young lions were in hiding. As he approached, they jumped to their feet and started to move away. Rhinos have impressive horns and this hefty fellow clearly wasn’t afraid to use his if needs be. Sensing his indignation, the young lions kept well out of the way.
Close to them and to the rhino, a few lionesses lay, observing the rhino’s ‘bully’ tactics. He hadn’t yet moved to harm the other lions so there was no need for retaliation, however, they kept a close eye on him; just in case.
Get our Best Sightings as they Come in
Encounters between a rhino and a pride of lions are uncommon in the bushveld but very revealing of how different large animals respond to one another.
A rhino is not a predator and has no interest in hunting lions. However, it is extremely large, powerful, and often short-tempered, which means its mere presence can disrupt other animals nearby.
When a rhino moves through the bushveld, it tends to do so with confidence, sometimes appearing almost indifferent to what is around it, yet fully capable of reacting aggressively if it feels threatened.
Rhino’s presence holds pride’s attention
This rhino continued to mill through the area with steady, purposeful steps. None of the lions were taking chances, and his presence left them visibly disturbed.
The lions, especially the smaller among them, did their utmost to stay out of his path. Young lions are particularly sensitive to large, unfamiliar, or unpredictable movements. A rhino moving directly toward them can trigger a flight response, even if the rhino has no intention of attacking. This scattering behaviour is a normal part of their learning process, reinforcing caution around animals that could cause serious harm.
Having marched through the area, the rhino appeared to have successfully let the pride know that he was in charge… well, the younger lions, that is. The lionesses stayed lying down and didn’t scatter as easily as the young lions. However, they remained wary of the rhino, watching him from a distance, just in case he felt threatened and decided to charge.
A rhino’s horn is its primary defensive weapon, and when confronted, it may charge with surprising speed and force. Rhinos are capable of inflicting serious or fatal injuries with a single upward thrust or sweeping motion of the horn.
Even though lions are powerful predators, a direct hit from a rhino can break bones, puncture vital organs, or send a lion tumbling, which is why most lions avoid provoking a healthy adult rhino.