An Impala Herd Gets the Shock of a Lifetime When a Lioness Jumps Out

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Surprises are perhaps some of the best things you can receive in life. Who doesn’t love a good surprise birthday party? A surprise date night? Or even a surprise car in the driveway on Christmas day? Well, as good as surprises are for humans, let’s just say surprises in the wild are the absolute worst thing possible. Don’t miss the exciting surprise in the video above!

Lioness Sneaking Up on Impalas

The YouTube video posted at the top of this blog post takes us to Africa. This is where a safari tour stopped to see a lioness sneaking up on a herd of impalas. The Incredible Wild Animals Sightings YouTube page had this video sent to them. And they shared it with their 240,000+ subscribers. This channel is eager to share the raw life in the wild that can be seen in Africa. They share videos of animals like buffaloes, crocodiles, and hyenas. 

Impala Herd Oblivious to Lion Hunting Them

As the video begins, we see this safari tour has come to a complete stop. They are waiting for this impala herd to finish crossing the road. But, we would venture to say this is not what has caught these tourists’ attention. Off in the distance, out of the sight of the camera, there is a lioness hiding in the grass. She is waiting for the perfect moment to strike. 

Imapals are incredibly fast antelopes that can get up to speeds of 56 miles per hour. Not only that but Live Science tells us that impalas can leap as far as 33 feet. And they can jump as high up as 10 feet. “If impalas are running from predators, they are known to jump over obstacles in their way, such as large bushes or stumps, instead of going around them.” 

This lioness knew the only way she had any sliver of hope to grab one of these was if she got as close as she possibly could. Suddenly, she runs out, and the impalas frantically disperse. However, this hunter was skilled and got close enough to catch one. 

Can Humans Eat Impalas?

When asked what we want for dinner, impalas probably are not on our list of things to eat. However, these antelope are famous dishes to not only be eaten but also hunted. According to the National Library of Medicine, “The impala (Aepyceros melampus) is not only a popular choice for the breeding of color variants, such as the black impala [14], but it is one of the most popular species for hunting, local consumption, and meat exportation.” 

There are estimated to be over two million impalas left in Africa. The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) does not consider them in danger of extinction in any way. It’s no wonder that one of the lions’ favorite meals is the impala, as we can see from the video above.