There couldn’t have been a better seat in the house to witness the spectacular dynamics of a lion hunt.
Watch The Sighting:
Lions must kill to eat, and this means looking away for a few moments as the prey brutally succumbs to their attack.
Pride Of Lionesses Brings Spectator’s Car To A Standstill
Ahmed explained that they were on a self-drive along the H1-3 in Kruger National Park, and knew they had hit the jackpot when they came across a pride of lionesses on the trail of buffalo.
“There were five stunning lionesses and three strong buffalo, with the lionesses clearly in stalk mode”, he said.
He said one of the lionesses broke away from the rest and moved with stealth and precision to the other side of the buffalo. Her goal was to herd the buffalo towards the other lionesses.
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Lioness Chases Buffalo Towards Other Lionesses
She then began to chase the buffalo, and they ran from her straight into the trap set for them, the other four lionesses were waiting as she chased them straight into the traps. This was a coordinated attack and one which this pride of lionesses had down to a fine art.
Cooperative hunting is something that characterises lion behavior. As these lionesses did, lions work together in bringing down prey. This teamwork is what helps them to bring down larger animals, such as this buffalo. Such a large animal might be too big for a lion acting alone to pull down to the ground and subdue.
“What followed was a small battle between the lions and buffaloes, with the latter retreating and disappearing into the bush. We were disheartened as we believed we had missed out on witnessing a successful hunt”, Ahmed said.
However, the ordeal was far from over. “Our hearts were in our stomachs as we thought this was a failed hunt and that the carnivores had lost this battle. Little did we know what lay ahead was a rare occasion that we all would never forget”, Ahmed said.
Lionesses Catch Buffalo
Soon after, Ahmed said they heard a squealing sound from behind. The lionesses had reemerged and were attacking a buffalo.
There were now six of them, collectively clawing and biting at the animal to bring it to the ground. They attacked first its hind quarters as is often the procedure for kills, as this immobilises the prey and prevents it from running away.
While the buffalo was viciously attacked by the lionesses, the pride’s cubs could be seen, adding excitement to the adrenaline-filled moment.
Ahmed said that each member of his family had different reactions to the event. “My wife was quivering and began crying as her heart softened for the buffalo,” he says. “I felt excited at the prospect of being privileged enough to see a live kill, but at the same time, I felt empathy for the buffalo that was about to get killed. My boys, aged 12 and 9, were excited, and I could sense their adrenaline pumping, like real boys. My youngest daughter, aged 6, was also excited, but more so because she got to see the young cubs.”
The ordeal lasted for almost an hour and a half, with the buffalo eventually succumbing.
“Being a nature and wild animal lover, I’m a regular at the Kruger National Park and I had actually given up hope that I would ever be one of those fortunate enough to witness this before my very eyes,” said Ahmed. He recalls the day as ‘simply the best day ever’.