Lions are dangerous apex predators, capable of executing flawless ambushes that take their prey completely by surprise, and allow the big cats to make the kill before their food has even realized it’s food.
This is not one of those times. Natasha Van Der Walt, a 20-year-old student, caught this clumsy hunting attempt in the Kruger National Park as a lioness showed that not all deadly hunters are equal.
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Natasha told Latest Sightings that they “were on [their] way to breakfast at Tsokwane from Orpen when [they] stopped at Girivana Dam”. It was there they saw a pair of lionesses, and settled in to wait and see if anything happened.
Waiting For The Opportune Moment
The lionesses were also waiting, after some impala arrived at the dam to enjoy a nice refreshing drink. Hunkered down in well-selected hiding places, the two lionesses were completely concealed from their potential prey.
The first part of the hunt was going well for them. From their concealed positions, the lionesses could safely observe the impala without startling them, and if one exposed itself, they’d be able to launch a lightning-fast attack that would be sure to connect.
As ambush predators, it was the perfect setup for them to secure a meal, and they only had to wait for the right moment to burst from their cover and take their prey.
Launching Attack
One of the lionesses was so well hidden that it was even difficult to spot her in Natasha’s footage. This lioness is a little closer than the other, and she’s the one who made the decision to attack.
In a matter of seconds, this aggressive lioness had risen from her hiding place and accelerated to a run, bounding over the rocks around the water. It seemed like it was going to be a textbook hunt, until suddenly it wasn’t.
Going In With A Splash
The lioness, while no doubt highly skilled, might not have been the best hunter in the pride. She’d gotten so focused on the impala she was hunting that she’d forgotten to account for something very important: the water.
They were, after all, hunting the impala as they stopped for a drink, but this lioness either didn’t know the depth of the water or just completely forgot it was there until she hit it at a run.
The impala had already seen her coming and started to scatter, but she might have had a chance to catch up with them if it weren’t for her genuinely impressive belly flop that sent up an almighty splash, and cancelled out all of her momentum.
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An Awkward Moment
As it turned out, these lionesses wouldn’t be eating anything today, as the second lioness hurried to the side of the first. The miraculous swimming lioness looked around helplessly as the impala scattered.
It’s difficult to interpret what big cats like these are thinking, but there must be some incredulity on her face as the second lioness watched her companion, now dripping wet, steady herself in the water.
When confronted with lions like these, it’s important not to laugh too hard, as doing so can damage their already fragile self-esteem in the wake of such a failure. Moments like these can still make for great stories, and catching something like this on camera is amazing.