Epic Night-Vision Footage Captures a Face-Off Between a Lion and a Massive Elephant

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It’s always fascinating to see what animals get up to at night. In this clip captured near Donyo Lodge by Mount Kilimanjaro in Kenya, we get to see an encounter between an elephant and a male lion. This feline is pretty spooked by the approach of the elephant and gets away as quickly as possible. So quickly that he runs straight into the camera!

Do Lions Hunt Elephants?

Lions are obligate carnivores, which means that they have to hunt other animals to stay alive. They have no other choice. They are also generalist hunters, which means that they can prey on a wide range of animals. However, lions living in a particular habitat will often become experts at catching one particular species of prey. Lions are very good at learning from their mistakes!

Having said that, there is a limit to the size of prey that a single lion can take on. They have a higher success rate when they hunt as a pride because when lions work as a team, they can take down larger animals. Even so, a fit adult elephant is beyond a lion’s capabilities.

Lions would usually target elephant calves or sick or injured elephants for easier prey. A prey animal of this size would provide food for a whole pride! On this occasion, however, the lion is going to have to find something else to eat.

How Do Elephants Feel About Lions?

Elephants do not feel comfortable when lions are prowling around. They know that lions will target their calves and do everything that they can to protect their offspring. This elephant is driving the lion away from the area, possibly because there are calves nearby.

In turn, the lion needs to be wary of the elephant. Lions can be seriously injured and killed if they are trampled on by an adult elephant.

Can Lions See in the Dark?

Like other felines, lions have excellent night vision, and they can see in low-light conditions, which allows them to hunt when necessary. This is because their eyes have a membrane that concentrates light back to the retina. Also, they have very large pupils that let a lot of light in. Even so, this lion managed to walk into the camera!  

Are Conflicts Between Lions and Elephants Normal?

The interactions between lions and elephants in Africa are mostly peaceful, and there is rarely any conflict between the two species. Lions and elephants have a clear understanding of the boundaries between them, and they largely ignore each other.

Lions and elephants share the same habitat in Africa, but they rarely compete for resources. Lions are primarily carnivorous, and they feed on animals such as zebras and wildebeest. Elephants are herbivores, and they feed on plants, roots, and fruit.

Lions and elephants also have different behaviors. Lions are nocturnal, and they are most active during the night. Elephants, on the other hand, are most active during the day. This means that lions and elephants are rarely in the same area at the same time.

However, lions are territorial animals, which means that they actively defend their territories against other species. Therefore, most conflicts between lions and elephants have something to do with encroachment upon the lion’s territory. Elephants are also very protective of their young, so if there are infants in the hed, elephants may be more aggressive toward lions than usual.