I always try to get into the lions minds but every time I fail. Nothing seems logical.
This evening they headed back south in the direction they came from last night. They hardly saw any prey in that area so why go back there?
It was dark when they hit the trail. Their first encounter was about an 8ft python. Experienced Manyari moved past ignoring it. The youngsters were instinctively cautious snarling at the snake even though it wasn’t moving. Soon discretion took over and the youngsters moved on.
Walking in single file the lions walked passed a low anthill covered in short green grass. Hidden in the grass was a very small impala fawn. The fawn put it’s ears flat and remained motionless as the lions moved by one by one. There was a gentle breeze blowing straight towards the lions from the impala. It didn’t stand a chance. But still the lions moved on one by one. They all moved by.
Just proof again that very young fawns don’t have any smell.
A while later another fawn went unnoticed, although this guy was downwind.
Then the lions did it text book style, the hunt. They’d done their homework for a change.
Picking the scent on the wind they fanned out. 2 lions went straight into the wind but only after waiting for the rest of the pride to circle left and right. Then when one lioness got right round behind the prey, she sprung the trap as the Sable Antelope picked up her scent. The small herd scattered and the young male heading straight up the middle ambushed a sable bull as it rounded a bush. They tumbled to the ground briefly by which time the male had the sable by the windpipe. So quickly actually that it never had a chance to utter any death cries.
The rest of the pride were quickly on the scene and proceeded to feed while the young male stayed locked on its throat. The perfect grip. Within minutes the sable had died.
If only lions could always kill fast and efficiently as that, it would save their victims from the horror of death the brutal lion way.
In about 5 hours the lions had reduced this once majestic bull to just a few bones.
What always amazes me is that lions can digest some of that meat to excrete it in only 4 or 5hours! (Sorry probably not something people would want to know.) They must have a pretty fast metabolism. Or is that there is so much pressure built up in that full stomach that it’s just looking for a way out?!
Before dawn, well fed the lions went back, yes back, to where they had come from passing by the impala fawn again and resting up in the thickets they rested in yesterday.
We left them and went back to the fawn at daybreak. The little fellow just lay there so cute and seemingly quite happy with life. BUT also very aware that he must keep still.
I was back on the impala birth trail without success, although there are some new little guys in the area. So they should be dropping like fruit in the next few days.
The Lilac-breasted Rollers were still frantically feeding their chicks.
Recent Comments