Most cats of any size supposedly dislike to submerge themselves in water, and even react violently after getting their paws wet. It might come as a surprise then to see these lions take to the aquatic lifestyle for the sake of a good meal.
Deon Kelbrick spotted this swimming pride near the Nkorho Bush camp, and sent the footage into Latest Sightings. Even famous hunters like lions will still take the opportunity to scavenge, even at the risk of tourists catching them in the act.
There’s Something In The Water
Exactly what had happened to this buffalo was unclear. The lions themselves were flocking to it like insects to sugar, but whether or not they were the ones to kill it is uncertain.
Perhaps there had been a battle on the edge of the water that had seen the buffalo drift out into the deeper waters beyond easy reach of the lions, although this is unlikely.
A crocodile could have brought the buffalo down and left the carcass to drift downstream, or a hippo might have killed it in a territorial fit which would explain why there was enough meat on its bones to feed an entire pride of lions.
Food For The Brave
It was enough that the carcass was there, and it meant that for many of the lions, they would be able to get a good meal without having to put in the effort of hunting difficult prey.
Due to their tendency for forming defensive formations with their horns facing outwards, buffalo can be difficult for lions to bring down if they can’t pull off the initial ambush to take them by surprise.
That meant coming across one already killed was an easy meal, but not all of the pride would be able to enjoy it. While cats might not dislike the water as much as most people think, there were still some of them reluctant to take the plunge.
A Very Busy Restaurant
Those that were willing to swim quickly capitalized on the carcass, making a little island of lions in the deep waters as they fed from the remains of the buffalo.
One unlucky lion even built up the courage to take the plunge and swim out towards the meal only to immediately find that there was no space for it to join the buffet, and subsequently have to swim back towards dry land, hungry and probably more than a little annoyed.
Get our Best Sightings as they Come in
Enough For Everyone
While they might not have been able to feed from the buffalo carcass all at the same time, there was still plenty to go around. The lions ended up forming a neat line to move through the water in single file ready for their turn to eat.
Some still remained safe on the dry shore, potentially having already eaten their fill, or keeping an eye on the waters around the rest of the pride, making sure that there were no nasty surprises about to leap out.
It might not have been a sighting of lions in the midst of the hunt, but remember that it’s important to keep an eye out for animals in any situation you can find them in while on safari.