Feeling trapped is never a fun experience, and yet for this puku it was the worst it could possibly be. With thick and heavy mud preventing it from moving its feet, and a hungry lion creeping closer, it was a high stress situation.
Newton Mulenga spotted this trapped puku in Zambia, filming the lion’s risky hunting attempt, and sending the footage to Latest Sightings. A lack of awareness when it comes to surroundings can be just as deadly as a predator’s teeth.
Watch Now:
Unable To Flee
The lion had likely ambushed the puku as it came for a drink, and in its desperation to escape it leapt into the water without realizing how thick or deep the mud really was. Unfortunately, this last ditch effort to save its life is what actually doomed it.
Trapped in mud that went up above its ankles, the puku had all four legs trapped at once and was unable to pull itself free from its trap. This meant the lion could slowly creep up on it, knowing that it could approach at leisure without risk of losing out on a meal.
There was a caveat, however, as the same mud that had trapped the puku might also trap the lion. It was a challenge for both animals as the lion had only one angle of approach, but the mud forced the puku to face that same direction, which meant its horns were in the perfect place.
Defensive Maneuvers
Despite its predicament, the puku wasn’t going to make it easy on the lion. It might not have been able to move its feet, but it could still brandish its horns as defensive weapons against the imminent threat.
As the lion cautiously approached, being careful not to fall prey to the same trap as its prey, the puku lowered its head and lunged forward. It was a risky move that took its vulnerable neck closer to the predator, but the unlucky puku didn’t have many other options.
At least with its head lowered, the puku forced the lion to retreat from its dangerous horns. The lion escaped unscathed and the puku, unable to brace itself, fell forward into the mud, dunking its head into the water.
Get our Best Sightings as they Come in
A Few Moments Of Freedom
The momentum from the puku’s lunge carried it forward, and actually helped to dislodge its legs from the deep mud. Suddenly freed, the puku had a small range of movement but the lion was still close by, and the mud was difficult terrain that it couldn’t move through quickly.
It tried to back away from the lion, but it couldn’t move fast enough when the predator suddenly pounced. Perhaps emboldened by the fact that puku had managed to free itself, the lion risked the thick mud by leaping forward to seize its prey’s neck in its jaws.
These last few moments of freedom were all the puku had before the lion bore it down to the ground with a second big cat waiting in the wings, ready to assist the first at pulling their prey out of the mud.
It was a poor end for the puku, scared, trapped and alone, but for the lions it was continued survival, and for Newton it was an incredible chance to see lions hunting in difficult environments.