It’s important for all predators to learn how to hunt while they’re still young, otherwise they might end up in awkward situations like these where they manage to fail so completely that they have no choice but to go hungry.
Jazmin Stapelfeldt caught this lioness’s poor attempt on camera in Hluhluwe in South Africa, and sent the footage in to Latest Sightings. This unlucky lioness appeared to suffer from a sudden case of memory loss as it hunted a warthog.
The Perfect Setup
Although the lioness might have forgotten what comes next, it had done a great job of getting itself into the right position for a wildly successful hunt. As an ambush predator, the success of a hunting lion relies on how well it can camouflage itself.
This lioness had hidden herself so well that the camera struggled to pick her out, and the warthog had absolutely no idea of the intense danger it was in as it casually strolled along.
Laying in wait like this allows lions to conserve their energy, ready to release it when it would have the most impact. This means the warthog needed to get close enough for the lion to pounce, without needing to get into a long or drawn out chase.
What Happens Next?
The warthog was happy in its ignorance, and it continued walking calmly through the grass without a care in the world. All it needed was a meerkat to wander along next to it and it could have been a familiar scene.
But the lioness, meanwhile, was watching the warthog closely to ascertain when would be the best moment to burst from her hiding place and attack. It was a dangerous game, if the lioness attacked too early then the warthog would have time to flee.
If the lioness waited too late before attacking, then the warthog might detect it first, and start fleeing before the lioness was ready to chase it. Timing the pounce is an important part of the hunt.
Not What Happens Next
What typically does not happen during a lion hunt is… nothing. The warthog, untroubled by the unknown presence of the lion, continued on its way.
The lion, which had had ample opportunities to attack the warthog as it came close, apparently forgot exactly what it was supposed to do, and stayed hunkered down waiting for the opportune moment long after it had passed.
It’s possible the lion hadn’t actually been hunting, and was merely waiting for the warthog to pass peacefully by so that they could both continue safely on their way, but in that case the lion wouldn’t have needed to camouflage itself quite so well.
This also wouldn’t explain why, when the warthog did realize its peril and flee, the lion looked as though it was about to try and follow it before accepting that a pursuit would be futile.
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Better Luck Next Time
The warthog was so scared when it saw how close the lioness was that it disappeared into the distance almost quicker than the lioness could even stand up.
It was bad luck for the lion, or perhaps a lack of skill or experience, that meant it would have to find some other prey. Hopefully its hunting skills improved rapidly after this footage, otherwise it would be a very hungry life indeed.
