Two male lions recently sneaked up on a rival male lion lion which was lounging on an airport runway in the Sabi Sands game reserve, before launching a surprise attack on him.
This stunning display of male lion rivalry was witnessed by Peter Forsyth, a 24-year-old field guide.

Runway sets the stage for magnificent viewing
Peter explains that had been tracking lions based on audio cues when he and his fellow travelers came across a lone lion. The lion was quite at ease lying on the warm tarmac of an airplane runway in the reserve, seemingly without a care in the world.
“To our surprise, it wasn’t one of the dominant coalition males ruling the area,” says Peter.

Lone lion’s roars attract rival attention
The solitary lion made roaring noises, quite comfortable in his solitude. However, explains Peter: “We knew that the roars of this solitary lion would inevitably attract trouble.”
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This is exactly what happened! Two dominant males of the area, a formidable male lion coalition, suddenly appeared at the other end of the runway.
Male lion coalitions typically consist of two to four lions. However, coalitions as big as eight lions have been sighted. The coalitions consist of lions which are cousins or brothers, but might also include males which are not related to the others.
These coalitions are chiefly formed to allow male lions to compete effectively for mates.

The two lion’s silently stalked the lone lion, who was completely unaware of their presence.
He continued to lie down in all his majesty, a spectacle in and of himself.

The coalition lions moved down the runway with precision moves. This made for riveting viewing.

Peter explains that what sets this encounter apart was how the lions used strategy in their approach. Despite being in the open, the lone lion didn’t sense their presence until they were almost on top of him.
At one point, he even glanced their way, but failed to notice them, showing just how stealthy they were.

Stalking lions pick up pace
The reclining lone lion eventually flopped down towards the tarmac. He was unaware of any impending threat.
While the coalition males initially moved slowly towards him, they now picked up pace, eventually running towards their target who had unknowingly made himself a sitting duck by resting his head down on the tarmac in a sleeping position.

An encounter of masculine prowess
Says Peter: “The battle was brief but intense, with each lion weighing in close to 400 pounds and going at each other. It was an exciting yet intimidating feeling to be that close to so much power. For me, it was a heart-pounding experience. In my six years in the area, I had never witnessed lions fighting like this before. It was truly an adrenaline rush.”

The coalition males weren’t intent on killing the lone male. Rather, their attack was a display of dominance. After surprising him and wrestling with him on the tar in a display of muscles, sinews and fury, they stood apart from him and gave out intimidating roars.
Male lions roar for different reasons. Their roar is used to communicate with other pride members, and to deter intruders. In this instance, they were roaring to show who was boss! This was their hood and these big boys wanted the solitary lion to know they weren’t going to take any chancers.
Peter explains how they decided to move the vehicle they were watching from a little distance from the animals to give them space. Goes to show – these three males definitely commanded respect, not just from one another, but from the spectators as well!