This confrontation between two ancient enemies was caught on camera by the Shindzela Safari Camp in the Greater Kruger National Park. The footage shows a hyena having an exceptionally bad day as a nice and relaxed walk puts its life in significant danger.
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Potential threats lurk around every corner for wild animals, and vigilance against rival predators is essential for living a long life. As the apex predator, this lion is at the top and dominates potential rivals, but must stay vigilant to maintain that status.
Just Out For A Stroll
It was an overcast day in the Kruger, perfect for a nice little relaxed stroll through the bush. The hyena didn’t look like it had a care in the world meandered through the bush, unaware of the danger lying just ahead.
If it had looked a little more to the right while it was walking up, it would have seen the large male lion watching as it crossed the invisible boundary into its territory, and unintentionally announced itself as a threat.
Hiding In Plain Sight
The lion watched the intruder closely, its mane blending seamlessly into the tall grass. Despite only being a few feet from the hyena, its mane merged perfectly with the tall grass, and it was so still that it went unnoticed until the hyena looked right at it.
Ambush tactics are the lion’s choice of hunting methods, but this lion wasn’t hunting the hyena. Lions eating the meat of killed hyenas has been documented, but it is rare, while the two are often fighting.
This lion wasn’t after a meal, but it must maintain the integrity of its territory to make sure the hyena doesn’t bring down something the lion is hungry for.
Female lions are famous for filling the role of primary hunters in a pride, but the males are the security, and ensuring their territorial boundaries go unviolated is their responsibility.
Fastest Hyena In The Park
The amount of adrenaline that must have coursed through the hyena when it realized it was deep in lion territory, and looking one right in its face, must have been immense.
For a few seconds, it was surely the fastest hyena in the entire Kruger as it immediately processed how close the lion actually was, and how much danger it was now in.
The acceleration of the lion was nothing to scoff at, but that hyena is running for its very life as it spins on the spot and immediately sprints as fast as its legs can carry it in an attempt to get away before the lion gets within range to pounce.
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Ancient Enemies
The rivalry between lions and hyenas is prevalent in any areas where they coexist, and it has existed for as long as both animals have walked the earth.
They compete primarily for land and food, with hyenas often targeting lion cubs and the felines responding by attacking them in retribution. During periods where food might be scarce, this rivalry intensifies, but even when resources are plentiful, it never goes away.
These two animals are natural enemies to the bone, and for as long as they both want the same things, they’re going to come into conflict with each other.