When a hungry lion charges, anything with sense turns and runs. There’s not always somewhere good to run to, but for this impala anything would have been preferable to being in the jaws of a big cat.
Lourenco Afonso caught this dramatic sighting on camera and sent the footage to Latest Sightings. Caught between a rock and a hard place, this impala had no choice other than to go for a swim.
Desperate Measures
If it weren’t for the presence of a hunting lion, this impala would have found a particularly idyllic space to relax. On the lush, green bank of the water it stood, no doubt intending to refresh itself with a nice drink.
When the footage began, however, the impala already knew that it was in a position fraught with danger. Perhaps it had heard the crackling of leaves and twigs that signified the approach of the hungry lioness.
Many prey animals have delicate senses to help protect them from stalking predators and although it might not have immediately worked out what was happening, this impala definitely knew something was wrong.
The Opposite Of Relaxing
Its body language was tense and it appeared to be listening intensely, trying to pinpoint the location of potential threats. One threat was very close indeed as the lioness leapt from the bushes in a sudden attack.
The impala’s caution was the only thing that kept it alive. As the lion emerged from its cover, the impala was already moving in the opposite direction to put distance between them.
Unfortunately for the impala, this direction took it straight into the water where it was forced to stay by the lioness prowling on the bank. It may have survived the initial attack, but it wasn’t actually any safer.
The Most Stressful Swim
With no other option, the impala struck out along the shore, trying to find a safe place where it might climb back onto dry land and have the opportunity to outpace the lioness.
The shallow water was difficult for it to swim in, and several times it pushed itself off the bank, back into the relative safety of the water. Sometimes other animals dive into the water to cool off after a long day, or as an opportunity to relax.
This impala wasn’t even close to relaxing as it tried to swim faster than the hungry lioness could run, an almost impossible predicament. Despite the odds, the impala was giving it its best shot.
Get our Best Sightings as they Come in
The Ol’ Switcheroo
After a few minutes of swimming, it appeared that the impala had managed to find a way out of its trap. Through the water the impala navigated around a dense thicket on the bank that would slow the lion down.
It just needed the time to get back onto land and start running, and with the lion nowhere in sight, this was the best opportunity it was going to have to survive.
This cunning lioness was one step ahead of the unfortunate impala. No sooner had it pulled itself from the water that the lioness darted out from behind the thicket and seized the impala by the neck.
It may have done its best, but this impala was quite simply out of time, and its ill-fated swim had come to a swift end after its desperate escape attempt failed.