See a Massive Male Lion Backflip Over a Hyena During a Fight

Continue reading for our analysis...

It’s easy to find ourselves impressed with the king of the jungle. After all, he is known for his incredible strength and ability to fight at all costs. We’ve seen lions willing to face off with animals five times their size, such as elephants, rhinos, and giraffes. As seen in the video above, we’ve also seen lions willing to take on multiple animals in a fight, like the African wild dogs or the hyenas. Don’t miss this epic fight!

Lion and Hyena Fight 

Given the terrain and the two fighting animals, this video takes place in Africa. And this will be one of the most incredible showdowns of all time. 

At the start of this video, shown at the top of this blog post, we see that a safari group has stopped to capture the sight of these hyenas. They have already been picking a fight with this dominant male lion. And he’s not playing anymore. 

The lion comes barreling down the dirt path, tumbles on the hyena, and then, as he’s attacking, he does a backflip over this hyena! This intense fight continues. We hear the sounds of the hyena whimpering. His friends and family stand back and watch in horror. They want to get involved but are scared. 

However, you’ll notice by the end of the clip that more hyenas have arrived, making them stronger. Harvard University says, “Spotted hyenas are highly social animals, forming large groups called clans, which range from 6 to over 100 members.” They each take turns going in and biting the lion to get him off their friend. But, in the end, they know this lion is so much bigger than they are. 

How Big Are Hyenas?

There are four species of hyena: spotted hyena, aardwolves, striped hyenas, and brown hyenas. According to Science Direct, the spotted hyena is the one most commonly seen in the wild. 

And while the sizing of the hyena depends on their species, they can weigh anywhere from 15-190 pounds and reach anywhere from 22-65 inches in length. This is small compared to the male lion, who can weigh up to 550 pounds and reach over eight feet long!

These hyenas in the video posted at the top knew that their only hope of survival was getting their pack to help them attack as a group against this predator.