Alberto Scattolin sent this video to Latest Sightings. He filmed it on the H1-6 in South Africa’s Kruger National Park.
Night and day
Despite their size, power, and social behaviours, lions are only successful in about 30% of their hunting attempts. They are most successful at night, but, as this video shows, quite capable by day too.
As Alberto’s video starts, we see a lone lioness slinking across open ground towards its target. Ahead of it, a wildebeest is drinking from a cement waterhole, as the rest of its herd moves away.
Wisely, the lioness uses the concrete structure next to the wildebeest to hide herself from the wildebeest’s line of sight.
Finding cover where none exists
As you can see, the concrete block is the only visible cover that prevents her prey from spotting her. Amazingly, she manages to sneak within just a few metres of the still-unaware wildebeest.
Furthermore, she waited until all the other animals were moving away from her before making her approach. She is clearly a very experienced hunter.
Weighing her options
Subsequently, when she gets to the block, she pauses to weigh up her options. She knows she will have one opportunity to strike, failing which she’ll go hungry.
This further highlights her experience. A less-skilled predator might simply rush in without a proper strategy in place.
No further hesitation
Consequently, she decides to launch her attack to the left of the block, realising that had she gone the other way, the wildebeest might spot her sooner.
Briefly, she gathers her limbs below her body before launching a blitz attack on the unsuspecting gnu. As she breaks cover, she is spotted, and the wildebeest instinctively runs forward, away from the threat.
Critical error
However, as its smooth hooves go into the trough, it slips on the algae within and begins to lose its footing. In a fraction of a second, the lioness stretches out her front legs, trying to embed her claws into her prey.
Subsequently, the wildebeest — a bull — somehow regains his footing, dragging the lioness behind in a frantic effort to escape.
Down but not out
After a frantic struggle, the wildebeest loses its footing, and it looks like the battle might end here. However, the lioness struggles to sink her teeth into her writhing prey.
Ideally, she wants to clamp her jaws on its throat, cutting off the wildebeest’s air supply. But before she can do so, the bull manages to get to his feet, determined not to give up without a fight.
Ironically, this gives the lioness access to his throat, but she is still having a torrid time trying to bring him down. She could really use some help.
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Help arrives. Or does it?
Moments later, help appears to arrive in the form of two more lions. However, they are not in a rush, even though the first lion is still battling to subdue the gnu.
Even as she struggles, her compatriots’ efforts are somewhat lame. First one extends a paw but retreats as the wildebeest continues bucking…
Moments later, the other makes as if to bring down the gnu’s hindquarters, but its almost as if she is posing…
Undeserving dinner guests
Despite the indifferent efforts of her pride mates, the first lioness finally manages to bring down the exhausted bull.
As Alberto’s video draws to an end, she begins the drawn-out process of suffocation. Meanwhile, the other lions lick their lips in anticipation of an undeserved meal.