Saul Jassinowsky sent this unusual video to Latest Sightings. Unfortunately, no information was provided detailing the whereabouts of the incident.
Midnight dip
As Saul’s video begins, we are met with an unusual sight. A male lion in his prime appears to be taking a late night swim.
What makes it even stranger is that no sooner has he reached belly depth, than he turns around to exit the water.
While lions can swim if they must, such as when crossing rivers, this behaviour seems bizarre.
Mystery mission
Emerging from the water, the big male walks along the water’s edge. He is on a mission, but at this stage, we have no idea what it is.
Subsequently, the mystery deepens as the lion again enters the water…
Is he hot? Does he want to cross? Is he looking for something?
Pouncing on what?
Once again, the lion wades into the water up to his belly. Then, to our surprise, he seems to leap at something. Creating a big splash, he plunges his shaggy mane into the water.
Finally, we get the answer we’ve been waiting for. As the lion raises his head, we see that he has somehow located a buffalo calf submerged in the water.
In case you’re wondering, no, the calf wasn’t hiding underwater. As the lion lifts it, we see that its body is limp, having died previously. But how?
Telltale clue
Only when the calf’s head becomes visible do we get a clue as to the possible cause of its death. The calf’s head is covered in blood, although the grainy video obscures the exact injury.
Due to the head injury and the fact that the carcass was submerged, we can surmise that the calf was killed by a crocodile. Crocodiles often stash their kills underwater, returning later to feed when decomposition has set in.
Let’s pause for a moment to appreciate the lion’s strength. He has single-handedly lifted the calf, estimated to weigh about 50 kilograms, out of the water and easily carried it to the shore.
Furthermore, there is only one way the lion could have found the carcass, concealed as it was from view. Gases released by decomposition will have risen to the surface. Thereafter, the lion’s acute sense of smell will have detected them.
Get our Best Sightings as they Come in
Typical cat
Then, like any cat emerging from a reluctant swim, the lion drops his prize and has a good shake…
Having done so, the male once again easily lifts the calf and proceeds to drag it along the shoreline.
A large male like the one featured can consume up to 40 kilograms (88 pounds) of flesh in a single sitting. And, judging by the look he gives the cameraman at the end of the video, this big boy has no intention of sharing.
Super senses
Lions use three key senses: sight, hearing and smell. These enable them to find prey, defend territory and navigate their environment.
They have sharp eyesight and can see 6-8 times better than humans in the dark.
Their hearing is sharp, assisted by ears that swivel independently, allowing them to pinpoint the source of sounds.
An acute sense of smell enables them to detect both prey and intruders to their territories. As the video shows, even if the source is hidden underwater.