A massive croc and a pride of lions fought for ownership of a buffalo kill within full view of Rosa Swart on her recent visit to the Kruger National Park.
This unusual showdown for the prized kill was captured beautifully by Rosa, as the key players in this wildlife drama wrestled for prominence on the sandbanks of the Shingwedzi River.
Buffalo kill attracts attention
Herds of buffalo and large prides of lions frequent this region of the Kruger National Park and Rosa said that it came as no surprise to her when they saw that one of the resident prides had managed to take down a buffalo bull.
However, what made this sighting surprising was the presence of lion cubs, as well as a massive crocodile who was determined to make it difficult for the lions to have their way with the kill.
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The crocodile had emerged from the pools of water scattered throughout the Shingwedzi riverbed. “His intentions were clear; he wanted a piece of the prize! The crocodile went straight across the sand bank to the lioness and cubs.”
One of the lionesses feasted on the kill while the crocodile watched her. Initially she seemed unperturbed, however, the croc’s stealthy gaze and snapping behaviour soon became too much for her.
She stood up and moved away for moment; around the time a second lioness approached the crocodile.
This was the lion pride’s meal and this lioness wasn’t about to let a lone croc have its way – even if it was a substantially big croc!
The second lioness approached the crocodile, which was now lying on its belly uncomfortably close to the buffalo kill.
Rosa watched as the second lioness sneaked up behind the croc and went for its tail.
The crocodile swung around and lashed out. It was clear, getting him to move away from the kill was not going to be an easy feat. He flashed some teeth and he and the second lioness seemed to dance around each other for a moment.
While the crocodile had scared the first lioness up the embankment, this didn’t last very long. Refusing to be intimidated, the lioness returned to assist the second lioness which had been bold enough to take on the croc and fight for the pride’s feast.
‘A fierce standoff’
Rosa explained: “As tensions mounted, the lions, fueled by their hunger, stood their ground, refusing to back down. It was a fierce standoff. “
However hard the lions fought, the crocodile didn’t want to give up and kept trying to steal a bite or two from the kill.
‘A peaceful end to a chaotic start’
“In the end, we had to leave the sighting. The crocodile peacefully taking a bite or two from one end of the buffalo, and the lionesses on the other end feeding. A tranquil end to a chaotic start.”
Crocodiles and lions often come into conflict as they inhabit similar environments and vie for the same resources.
In a direct confrontation, a pride of lions would likely dominate a single crocodile on land, while the crocodile would have the upper hand in water.
Lions, being opportunistic hunters, frequently cross paths with crocodiles when targeting the same prey. As a result, encounters like the one observed by Rosa are not unusual.
Watch the sighting:
