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Accounts Manager, Kyra De Lange, came across the pride of lions at the Biyamiti weir in the Kruger National Park, while out for an evening drive with her boyfriend.
She said they were “laying under a tree for quite some time” before a “herd of elephants came past and chased them away”, causing them to move along, right into the path of some sleepy little hyena cubs.
If only the elephants had known the events they’d set into motion would put the tiny hyenas in peril.
Locked On, Moving In
The lionesses spotted the hyenas from afar, and whether the elephants had disgruntled them or not, it was immediately forgotten in the thrill of the hunt.
In seconds the lionesses had their heads down, and were moving in slowly so as not to startle the cubs from their evening snooze.
From her vantage point, Kyra saw the lions lock on and start moving in, seeing the powerful predators do what they do best. Although lions will sometimes hunt by cornering their prey, they typically have a preference for stalking likely meals, such as the young or the weak.
In this case, young hyenas that weren’t even on guard would make for a perfect target, and a tasty little snack.
Seconds From A Snack
These poor little hyenas didn’t even know the danger they were in. Kyra said the cubs were “laying in the sun near their den”, where they obviously felt safe enough to let down their guard.
A hyena litter will usually only consist of two to three cubs, so having all three vulnerable like this meant that tragedy was only moments away from striking a whole generation of this clan.
While female hyenas go out to hunt, they leave their cubs in the care of the males who function as babysitters. Baby hyenas are born ready to go, with open eyes and teeth already poking through their gums, so this must be a pretty full-time job for the males, but they were nowhere to be seen.
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Alarm!
The lions aren’t considered an apex predator for no reason, and these lionesses showed their skill at stalking by getting so close to the sleeping cub that they must have been on the verge of pouncing.
But then the alarm went up! Whether it was an adult male or another of the cubs, someone had spotted the lionesses and it was time to flee.
Kyra said “luck was on this pup’s side as it heard the rest of the clan run in the opposite direction of the lioness and without hesitation followed in their footsteps.” A quick decision which saved its life.
Unlucky Lionesses
Despite their last burst of speed, the lionesses couldn’t catch the fleeing cubs. The herd of elephants had already moved them along, and now they’d failed to secure a snack, meaning these lionesses weren’t having the best evening.
Only a little over a quarter of lion hunts are successful, so for the lionesses it was time to chalk this up as bad luck and get on with the rest of their evening. Although there may be other sources of food nearby.
Having a hungry lion stare at you is intimidating, and Kyra is quick to raise the window and keep herself safe.
In the event of a lion getting close on safari the best option is always to stay safely in the vehicle, but thankfully these lionesses didn’t spare more than a passing glance at the couple before moving on.