Alex Kyle captured this video and sent it to Latest Sightings. He filmed it while on a sunset drive in South Africa’s Kruger National Park.
Hippo in a hurry
Thomas Edison once said, “Success depends on your willingness to fail and learn.” In this video, we see a group of young lions as they attempt to tackle prey that is probably a bit too big for them.
As we join the night-time action, a hippo comes bulldozing out of the roadside vegetation.
Hot on its heels
In its wake, a lion is hot on its heels. While it’s not unheard of, lions do not often hunt hippos.
Hippos are notoriously short-tempered creatures, with a thick hide and huge canines capable of inflicting massive damage.
Young lions
Lions are most successful hunting hippos when mature adults, especially males, are involved. However, as a second lion runs into the spotlight, we see that the lions are both juveniles.
As the hippo crosses the road ahead of Alex, the lead lion catches up with it. Probably having seen adults bringing down prey before, it leaps at the hippo’s hindquarters, attempting to embed its claws.
Slippery customer
When tackling prey this large, the lions’ first objective would be to slow it down until the rest of the pride arrives to assist. However, the hippo’s speed and momentum prevent the lion from getting a grip, and it slides off harmlessly.
Subsequently, another pair of young lionesses arrive on the scene. But their pursuit seems half-hearted, as if they intuitively know this is a waste of time.
Reality check
Meanwhile, the hippo continues its flight, barrelling into the thick bushes near the road.
As it does, the reality of their situation dawns on the two pursuing youngsters. As they lose sight of their target, they bring their chase to an end.
While lions can run up to 80 km/h, they can only do so for short distances. Consequently, this may be a factor in their aborted effort.
Valuable experience
Having tried but failed to capture the hippo, the two juvenile lions then turn to rejoin their pride. Even though their attempted predation failed, they will have gained valuable experience.
As long as they continue to do this, they will refine their hunting techniques. In so doing, they will learn which species are viable targets and when it is better to conserve their energy.
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Nocturnal predators
While lions are quite capable of hunting by day, they generally hunt more under the cover of darkness. Compared to many of their prey species, lions have excellent night vision.
This is thanks to a reflective layer behind their retina, called the tapetum lucidum. This amplifies available light, allowing them to see fairly well on pitch-black nights.
By hunting at night when it is cooler, they are also able to conserve energy. Additionally, prey species are generally less active at night, making them easier to locate and ambush.
Night game drives
Self-driving visitors to the Kruger National Park may not leave their camps after dark. To allow them to view nocturnal species, including predators, park management offers “after-hours” game drives in the early morning, at sunset, and after nightfall.
Be sure to book one on your next visit to see how the other half live.