Jennifer Coleman and Liechen Tonkin were out on a game drive when the unexpected happened.
News of lions stirs excitement
They had set out on the drive with the hope of seeing buffalo but saw so much more than this.
As they neared an area where buffalo had been sighted, the occupants of a vehicle coming in the opposite direction told them they had seen lions, along with buffalo and elephant in the direction they were headed.
Filled with excitement, they kept their eyes open for the magnificent find. “We saw two buffalo in the distance but stopped to look at a lioness and her three cubs.”
However, the real excitement came when they saw two lions, a lioness and a lion, running like lightening across the grassy plain. The action which unfolded next, right beside their vehicle, left them breathless.
Lions pursue buffalo
The lions were in hot pursuit of a buffalo. They surrounded the animal and with teeth and claws and power, launched an attack.
Lions are known to hunt in prides and these lions orchestrated a vicious onslaught on the buffalo. Still, the buffalo managed to buck them away, even as they leapt towards it, biting into its flesh and lashing out at it with violent force.
Buffalo turns to bring a turn of events
In a startling twist of events, the buffalo, with a male lion attached to its back, started to run towards one of the game vehicles.
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Blinded by pain and a burning will to live, the buffalo acted on instinct, taking the first course of action it deemed feasible to shake off the ferocious beast.
Suddenly, things became quite personal for the occupants of the vehicle, with the buffalo barreling towards the car they were in. No doubt they were just a little afraid at this moment.
An impactful moment of victory
The buffalo bulldozed into the back of the game vehicle, with such force that the lion was thrown off its back, and turned with shock to leave its intended prey alone.
“We were routing for the buffalo but were shocked when the buffalo ran into the vehicle in front of us.”
The buffalo had used quick thinking and it had paid off. No doubt in pain, with bite marks and scratches from the ruthless ambush, it still managed to run off, away from the pride of lions.
Said Jennifer, who was in the vehicle the buffalo had rammed into and witnessed the sighting from possibly closer than she would have liked: “The buffalo was very disoriented from being spun around and ended up crashing into the game viewing vehicle with a loud thud. This gave the male lion a big fright and some time for the buffalo to get away and run off in the opposite direction.”
Both Jennifer and Liechen were happy that the buffalo got away. They did not just witness something spectacular but saw the power, energy and relentless will of the buffalo from up close. At the same time, they witnessed the fury, strength and fear-inspiring majesty of the lions, which were right before their vehicle.
To see from so close the ruthless, violent onslaught the buffalo escaped and to have been in the presence of such powerful predators is no doubt an experience they will never forget.