See This Large Lion Pounce On a Hyena and Dominate Before the Dust Even Settles

Continue reading for our analysis...

At the beginning of this clip, we see a large male lion trailing a lone hyena. Using longer vegetation as cover, the larger predator manages to get within a few feet of his target. This is the ‘stalk’ section of the lion’s hunting routine. Suddenly, he decides that the time has come to give chase. The hyena soon realizes what is going on but by then it is too late. In a cloud of dust, the hyena meets its fate. In the next scene, we see the lion moving towards the dust road carrying the dead hyena in his mouth.

What Do Lions Normally Eat?

Lions are obligate carnivores having very high protein needs so they have to eat a lot of meat to stay alive. They are skilled hunters and can catch a wide variety of prey. Lions become experts at hunting plentiful prey species and their skills are passed down the generations. Cubs watch their mothers hunt and learn the skills needed to pursue a particular type of prey from them.

Lions can target larger prey including zebras and buffalo. In between larger kills, they hunt smaller mammals such as foxes, mice, and other rodents. They have also been seen eating birds, birds, eggs, fish, reptiles, and even insects.

Do Lions Normally Eat Hyenas?

No, lions do not normally eat hyenas but that does not mean it never happens. Under normal circumstances, lions pursue hyenas because they view them as competition. Hyena packs have been seen stealing kills from lions. Also, hyena packs can kill target prey before the lion gets a chance to hunt it. This means that lions would prefer it if hyenas were not around! Commonly, lions will kill hyenas but then walk away from the carcass. In this particular clip, we don’t get to see if that is the case.

Hyena flesh does not provide the right sort of nutrition for lions. They are too far up the food chain to provide a lot of energy for a lion. Also, hyenas could transmit infections and infestations to lions because their physiology is similar. Lions would much prefer to hunt a herbivore which gives them more energy, better nutrition, and a lower risk of contracting a disease.

At the same time, a starving lion is not going to turn down any sort of nutrition. Therefore, in extreme circumstances, you could find a lion eating a hyena.