After being chased by a pride of lions, a buffalo turned to face them in a do-or-die bid for survival. In this epic encounter, you might be surprised by the outcome.
Kerry Balaam from Kruger Pride Safaris submitted this intense footage with Latest Sightings. She filmed the action in South Africa’s Kruger National Park.
Why did the lions cross the road?
We join Kerry at the sighting as a pride of lions emerge from the dry scrub alongside the road. Their pace tells us that they’re on a mission, although it is not immediately clear why.
The first lions to cross the road are still relatively young. They’re old enough to join a hunt, but do they have enough experience to tackle large prey?
One adult
All in all, a total of seven lions cross in front of Kerry, of which only one is an adult. You can see her in the background of the image below.
Statistically, lions are less successful when youngsters join the hunt. They simply lack the patience, experience, and power required to succeed.
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Bow to no one
Finally, the camera pans to reveal the target of the lions’ interest. It is a lone male Cape buffalo.
To the uninformed, it may appear we’re about to witness a very one-sided battle. However, old buffalo like this are formidable adversaries and bow to no one.
Accordingly, instead of fleeing, the belligerent bull turns to face the pride. Understandably, the young lions who were first to arrive are cautious.
Numbers vs experience
When the lioness arrives, however, we realise that the confrontation is on a knife-edge. Will the predators’ numbers triumph over the bull’s aggression and experience?
At this point, we notice blood on the lioness’s muzzle and front legs. Evidently, this battle has been going on for some time.
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Divide & conquer
As the lioness approaches, the bull spots her and immediately goes on the offensive. He realises she poses the greatest threat.
As he charges, she runs, only narrowly escaping being gored. However, as he passes the camera, we see the bull’s legs are wet with blood.
If the injury is serious, it could weaken him over time. As such, the clock is ticking.
Mopping up operations
Having seen off the lioness for now, the bull turns his attention to the youngsters. Perhaps surprised to see their mother flee, they are wary, scattering repeatedly as the bull rushes at them.
By now, the bull realises he has the upper hand. Even when the lioness rejoins the others, he keeps pressing them back every time they move towards him.
As the video ends, the bull breaks into a run, pushing the lions away from Kerry’s position. Accordingly, we don’t see the outcome, although we can hazard a guess that the buffalo got to live another day.
