Lioness Ambushes a Wildebeest In the Cover of Darkness, But by Morning Hyenas Have Stolen It

Lioness Snags a Midnight Snack, But Hyenas Harass Her and Steal Her Meal by Morning!

The heart gripping video at the top of the page shows a saga that takes place in a night on the african savannah! The video begins with a scene of vultures sharing a carcass with a hyena, picking at scraps. But the true action all took place the night before, when this carcass was originally taken down! The video rewinds in time to the dark of night, as the moon and a night vision camera helps illuminate the deep darkness. A herd of wildebeest gather together, slightly anxious at the idea of being ambushed! Not being able to see very far, they stand in wait for the slightest sound to run away from. All too aware of this is the nearby pride of lions, pacing and reassuring one another before the hunt. 

One lioness begins setting off from the pride, her obvious intent hinting that she smells the potential prey. As she gets closer, she can hear the sounds of the wildebeest calling to one another. Quickly, she gets closer to the ground and begins to crawl slowly closer. The wildebeest seem to hear the slightest sounds, and the lioness instantly stops. Laying on the ground, the lioness carefully inches forwards once, then twice… Before pouncing out! But she only wants to scare the herd, as they panic and begin to run- directly by her! She patiently waits as the wildebeest pour past her before launching out and tackling an unlucky wildebeest. 

Which Is Better, To Hunt or To Steal From the Hunters?

The lioness struggles with the wildebeest for a few moments, but grabs its neck and refuses to let go. The wildebeest makes its way to its feet, but with the lioness’ jaws firmly clamped onto its neck, its over. As the herd runs away in the distance, the lioness brings the wildebeest to the ground with ease. Setting its prize down, the lioness considers it a job well done. But by the time the sun rises, the lioness is nowhere to be seen! Instead, a pack of hyenas is ripping the carcass to pieces, and the lioness can finally be seen standing a ways away. Having to cede her kill to the pack of hyenas, the lioness lost out. But then, when hope seemed all but lost, her pride came to back her up! As she charges them with the support of her family, the hyenas run away in seconds!

How Often Do Lions and Hyenas Fight to the Death?

Hyenas and lions engage in fierce battles, often escalating to the point of life-threatening confrontations. These clashes occur primarily over resources, just like the standoff seen in the video at the top of the page. Competition for food is a common trigger between predators, but hyenas and lions are specifically aggressive towards each other. A poignant example involves a male lion ruthlessly dispatching a hyena attempting to steal its pride’s meal.

This brutal interaction highlights the cutthroat nature at the top of the food chain. Additionally, territorial disputes are another common trigger for fights between lion prides and hyena packs. Lions view hyenas not only as rivals for prey but also as potential future threats. And it goes both ways, with hyenas killing lion cubs whenever offered the chance. The relentless struggle for dominance and survival propels these clashes, contributing to the ‘rivalry’ between the two species perpetrated in various forms of media.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Mark Sheridan-Johnson/Shutterstock.com