Watch the sighting here:
Shalin Fernando filmed this exciting encounter and submitted their account to Latest Sightings. The incident occurred in the Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana’s Okavango Delta.
Cats and dogs
Cats and dogs sometimes have a tense relationship in domestic settings. However, enmity between the species is clear-cut in the wilds of Africa.
Fernando’s video opens with a pack of wild dogs harassing what appears to be a lone lioness.
They said that leading up to this, they had been following a lioness and her cub when they heard there were wild dogs nearby. To their surprise, they soon discovered the two species engaged in an altercation.
As the pack closed in, the cub sought refuge under its mother’s belly. Heavily outnumbered, the lioness lashed her tail in anger.
Impossible choices
With dogs approaching from all sides, the lioness was hard-pressed to defend herself, much less her vulnerable cub. No matter which way she turned, a dog was waiting to rush in and attack from behind.
This meant that at times, she had no choice but to leave her cub dangerously exposed.
Strength vs numbers
With the battle lines drawn, the respective methods of combat became clear. While the dogs relied on numerical superiority, the lioness used brute strength.
When one of the dogs became isolated, she immediately seized it, delivering a savage mauling.
In response, the pack instantly came to aid their compatriot. However, in the mayhem, the cub was left vulnerable.
Cub escapes
Thankfully, all but one of the dogs were focused on rescuing their pack mate. Meanwhile, seeing its mother surrounded, the cub decided to flee to safety.
Turning, it ran to the tangle of fallen logs in the background…
One of the dogs chased it but it managed to find refuge. Immediately, the chasing dog returned to the ongoing melee with the lioness.
Mysterious signal
Subsequently, after delivering several bites to the lion’s exposed rear, the dogs suddenly retreated, as if they had received a mysterious instruction.
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Renewed assault
Just as strangely, no sooner did the lioness think she was safe than the dogs again ganged up on her. Fortunately for her, their renewed assault lacked the ferocity of the previous instance.
It seems the dogs felt they had made their point. Once again, as a unit, they retreated and finally left the lioness in peace.
Local guides informed Shalin that this was the only surviving cub of the lioness’s last litter. While the video doesn’t show the mother and cub reunited, Shalin said that both were safe after the incident.
Interspecies conflict
Perhaps nowhere in Nature is interspecies competition more pronounced than in predators. Competing for territory and resources, they will seldom pass up the opportunity to harm or kill competitors.
One can be sure that had this lioness been supported by her pride, the outcome would have been bad news for the dogs. In this case, she was lucky, both to escape serious injury and that nothing befell her only remaining offspring.
Shalin concluded that the next day, he saw the wild dogs. One individual was limping but alive.