Watch the Sighting:
While enjoying Kenya’s stunning landscapes on a game drive, Mahendra Jain came across this whimsical sighting and knew he had to capture it!
An Unlikely Playmate
As he looked around, Mahendra spotted a few lion cubs staring at a shrub and knew he had to investigate. Suddenly, high-pitched shrieks pierced through the air, and clearly the little lions had found a tiny creature to play with!
Upon closer inspection, he discovered that the noises were coming from a Mongoose hiding beneath the shrub! It darted out from beneath its hiding spot in an attempt to make a quick escape, but unfortunately, this made the cubs even more engaged.
The Mongoose Fights For Its Life
What appeared to be a fun game of cat and mouse for the lion cubs was a terrifying battle for survival for this poor little mongoose. To avoid becoming a chew toy or worse, it had to fight for its life.
As the lion cubs took turns picking it up and pawing at it, the mongoose decided it needed to go on the offensive. Despite its tiny body size, it charged at the lion cubs, startling them.
Surprised that the tiny creature was fighting back, the lion cubs seemed stunned, unsure on what to do.
Vanishing Act
Before the cubs had time to plan their next move, the mongoose pulled out one final trick from its back pocket. In a daring move, it leapt into the air, flying right at the face of one of the cubs.
The daring move paid off for this little fellow because its act of bravery bought it enough time to scurry across the ground and into a hole in another mound. Safely in the burrow, the mongoose had managed to make a great escape and would live to see another day!
Mahendra recounted how entertaining it was to watch the whole scene unfold: “It was very funny to watch as the cubs were most perplexed as to where their newfound toy had just disappeared off to. I can only imagine their disappointment of having a game ended before it ever really began.”
Nature’s Ultimate Underdogs
Because of their size, mongooses often fall prey to birds of prey, snakes, and big cats. Aside from having a keen sense of smell and hearing to detect predators early on, mongooses use their speed and agility to put up a vicious fight.
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Mongooses are strong fighters and will often engage in battle over territory, food sources, or to defend themselves or their young. Their sharp teeth and claws, strong jaws and cunning reflexes make them a formidable opponent, something these lion cubs learned the hard way.
This sighting teaches us that even the smallest creatures can stand their ground against the mightiest predators. In the wild, intelligence, determination, and a little bit of luck can turn the tables in the most unexpected ways.