Adding to the splendour of this magnificent moment was the fact that the buffalo in question was relatively aged. This wasn’t a young bull, however, he had experience and he knew how to position his horns and turn his body strategically to his advantage.
Lionesses surround buffalo
The buffalo had been wandering through the bushveld, close to his herd, when he was approached by the lionesses. They surrounded him with determined focus, employing strategic teamwork.
He let out cries of distress as they closed in on him, but his will to live was stronger than the fear and pain he must’ve experienced in the moment.
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Lions demonstrate unity as a pride
As strong as a single lion is, the strength of lions is most evident in the functioning of the pride. Lions will operate as a single entity as they approach their desired prey.
Usually, when it comes to an animal as a large as an African buffalo, lions will not chance taking on the hunt alone. This is because buffalo have formidable horns and aren’t afraid to use these. One wrong move from a lion pursuing a buffalo and that lion could be dealt a fatal blow by the buffalo’s sharp and penetrating horns.
For this reason, large prey like buffalo require the strength and resilience of the pride to pull them down. At the same time, with animals such as buffalo, lions will usually target calves or older animals. These are less likely to put up a fight, and are perceived as soft targets.
Old buffalo refuses to be taken down
This old fellow, however, refused to be taken down. He might’ve been old but he had a lot of life still in him!
He positioned his horns between himself and the lionesses and threatened the predators with them if they tried to get too close to his front end.
He also turned around with fury, so that the lions which had gripped onto his hindquartres lost their grip.
Buffalo fends off lions with strength and reslience
The lions seemed to swarm around him like bees, and moved with stealth and determination through the long grass. This old man might’ve been outnumbered but he kept his wits about him; clearly skilled in using his horns through the many bushveld conquests he had experienced.
Eventually the lions did back off and while badly injured, it appeared the buffalo’s wounds were not fatal.
The lions had had a go at his hindquartres, usually a tactic they use to immobilise the prey to secure a kill. For this reason, his back legs were covered with bitemarks and scratches and while he wasn’t in a good way, he had survived to see another day.
It appears these lionesses had met their match, and who would’ve thought that this would be an old buffalo, away from his herd?
Jan managed to film the miraculous escape leaving video evidence that a single animal can in fact escape 17 determined predators!
