The lioness was part of a pride consisting mostly of lionesses, which had set their sights on a herd of wildebeest grazing nearby a river area.
Lioness targets wildebeest
The wildebeest had been grazing away from the herd, while the lioness prepared to attack.
The lioness had watched the wildebeest from the covering of long grass, ears flat and with her eyes locked on her target. She was working with the other lionesses in her pride, which were silently coordinating their positions to surround the herd.
The lioness had seen this as the right moment to attack, as the wildebeest was grazing in a vulnerable position, with its head down. It had also strayed from the herd.
Lioness launches ambush
The lioness exploded into action. Lionesses will typically use a short burst of powerful speed when they launch into attack, reaching up to 60 km/h. This is to close the distance between them and their prey.
Her aim was to get close enough to leap and knock the wildebeest down.
She sprinted out in full view with magnificent strides, and the isolated wildebeest quickly became aware of her presence. Fully aware of the impending danger, the wildebeest ran across the grassland area.
When attacked, a wildebeest can run at speeds of up to 80 km/h, using this incredible speed as one of its main defenses against predators such as lions.
However, their ability to escape doesn’t rely on speed alone. Wildebeest can change direction quickly to confuse their attackers and often stay in large herds, which reduces the chance of any one individual being singled out. This is a behaviour known as the confusion effect.
The wildebeest’s mistake here had been to graze away from the herd.
The chase ensued with the lioness in close pursuit of her intended prey. Wildebeests often rely on stamina to overcome pursuing predators, such as this lion.
They are able to maintain high speeds longer than some predators, including lions, which tire quickly after short bursts of intense effort. Despite these advantages, young, injured, or isolated wildebeest remain highly vulnerable and are often the ones caught during a predator’s attack.
Wildebeest successfully outruns lioness
Danielle witnessed a moment of intense action. It was unclear which of the species would emerge triumphant.
However, within a minute a victor was determined. The wildebeest successfully outran the lioness.
She appeared to tire and lose interest and the distressed creature disappeared from view and out of her reach.
Lioness slows pace and meets again with other lions
She slowed her pace and made her way to the river area. There, an elephant was slowly making its way down for a drink.
The dramatic moment was possibly a precursor for even greater action. More lionesses could be seen patrolling the area and in the distance, the full herd of wildebeest could be seen.
Perhaps one of them would be the next target. However, for now, the lioness had some time to regain her composure and prepare herself for the next kill attempt.
