A giraffe being killed by lionesses is a rare and dramatic event, and this clip shows the aftermath of such a kill. Here, the lionesses are settled around the colossal animal, enjoying the spoils of their kill.
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Giraffes have a formidable size and powerful defenses, however, these lionesses succeeded in securing a meal for themselves.
Lionesses Settle Down For A Feast
Lionesses will have to coordinate their attack to successfully bring down a giraffe. It often takes as many as four to seven lionesses to secure a giraffe kill.
Oftentimes, they will target young, sick, or old giraffes in their hunting as these make for easier prey.
While lionesses are deadly predators, a giraffe can, in fact, kill a lion with a single kick. Their hind leg kicks have been known to crush a lion’s skull and even break its spine.
It’s for this reason that a sighting such as this one is an amazing spectacle. These lionesses have proved their mettle as hunters.
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To ensure a successful kill, lionesses will often use stealth and cover to ambush a giraffe. They will often ambush the animal while it is drinking or when resting. It is during these times that it is most vulnerable.
When giraffes drink, they also adopt awkward postures, making them prime targets for predators.
While giraffes can be hard and even risky, kill, a giraffe carcass provides a lot of meat. This giraffe will feed the pride of lionesses for days. For this reason, the kill was worth their effort.
A male giraffe can grow between 4,8 and 6 metres in height, and a female giraffe, between 4,3 and 5,2 metres in height. Male giraffes can weigh up to 1,400 kg, and female giraffes, up to 1,200 kg.
Their legs alone can grow up to 1,8 metres in length.
The sheer size of giraffes makes for a large feast for predators.
Here, there is no wrestling for meat from the carcass. Each of the pride members is suitably satisfied with sufficient meat.
The lionesses have already feasted on the animal’s entrails and are feeding from the hollow left in the giraffe’s centre.
With breakfast, lunch, and dinner taken care of for the next few days, they don’t seem too concerned or hurried. They will hang around the kill for days.
No doubt, the carcass will attract scavengers, such as hyenas and vultures; however, for now, the presence of the entire pride is possibly keeping the scavengers away.
No doubt, these lions will be protective of the carcass. They worked hard for it, and they intend to fully satisfy their hunger through feeding on it.
A Successful Display Of Teamwork
While lions are incredibly strong animals, the real strength of lions is in the pride. One of the reasons lions are such successful hunters is their teamwork focus. They operate as a unit and move in the interest of the pride.
If this team of lionesses can successfully bring down a creature as large as a giraffe, then the sky is the limit when they work together.