Elephant Outsmarts Hiding Lioness in Waterhole Encounter

Lions know better than to take on elephants, at least without the safety of numbers. A video out of the Kruger National Park, posted by the YouTube channel Latest Sightings,  shows what happens when a lone elephant spots a solitary lioness. In this encounter, the lioness sees the elephant first and tries to stay hidden. But once the elephant notices the lioness, it refuses to share its watering hole.

An Elephant Drinking From a Well Gets a Surprise

In the above encounter, neither the elephant nor the lion appears to be happy about running into each other. Although coalitions of lions have been known to hunt elephants, an elephant is far too massive for a lone lion to attack. As the video begins, we see a lioness taking a nap next to a well.

While the lioness sleeps, an elephant trundles up, waking her. She becomes alert, but the elephant is too close for her to escape easily. She tries to stay hidden behind the well, looking warily as the elephant takes a sip. The elephant is cautious as well, checking its surroundings before dipping its trunk in for a refreshing drink of water. Perhaps the elephant was too thirsty to notice the lioness at first. But after a few sips, the elephant suddenly becomes aware of her presence. The elephant sprays the lion with water and gives an earth-shattering trumpet. This is enough for the lioness; she runs off with the elephant trumpeting behind her.

What’s Happening in the Video?

The description of the video states, “An elephant comes to drink water near a resting lioness. When the lioness sees the elephant, it’s too late to run, so she hides behind the well. All seems to go well, until the elephant notices her, gets a fright, and sprays her with water.”

It appears the elephant is cautiously drinking water from the well without having spotted the lion slinking behind the well wall. The lion may have thought she was almost in the clear in her hiding spot. That is, until the elephant finally spotted her, panicked, and sprayed water in her direction. The elephant then drives the lion away by asserting its dominance by trumpeting, charging, and waving its ears.

Who Has the Upper Hand?

The animal with the most power depends on several factors. For example, the pride of lions is stronger than one lion traveling alone. When a group of lions encounters a lone elephant, the elephant can be in danger. There have been recorded instances where coalitions of male lions attack and kill even adult elephants. However, a herd of elephants is much too powerful for lions to attack. Typically, lions will attempt to attack young or injured elephants, especially when these elephants have been separated from their group. Elephant mothers and aunts form protective circles around their young when a pride of lions is nearby.

In this video, the lion and the elephant appeared to be equally matched. Each animal was alone and appeared to be young and healthy. The elephant used intimidation techniques to scare the lioness away, preventing a confrontation.

How Elephants Defend Themselves

When elephants travel in herds, they rely on their numbers for protection. Elephants vocalize to alert others in the herd of an imminent threat. This gives the group time to gather the young elephants in a protective circle and face the threat together.

Elephants have a size advantage over lions. Elephants can weigh anywhere from 5,000 to 14,000 pounds. Adult male lions weigh around 500 to 600 pounds, and the females are smaller. Elephants have sharp tusks and can also trample animals under their massive feet. However, lions possess shrewd hunting skills, speed, and sharp claws and teeth.

The elephant in the video displayed dominant behavior to assert its superior strength. By standing tall, making loud noises, swishing its head and ears, and charging at the lioness, the elephant made itself appear to be a formidable threat. This strategy worked, and the lioness ran away without a fight. Had any other animal approached the watering hole while the lioness was crouching nearby, it likely would have become her dinner.