See What Happens When a Lion is Challenged By 30 Riled Up Hyenas

Challenging a king, no matter the size of your army, is no small feat. Who else in the animal kingdom is known as the one, true king other than the lion? In the below footage, we are treated to a rare encounter between one male lion and a huge squad of hyenas. Despite common stereotypes, both of these species are more than capable of advanced combat tactics and will fight each other in coordinated battles. This time around, the lion is without his fellow warriors, but he doesn’t let that slow him down.

Watch the King Reign Supreme

Against staggering odds, the great king spends a moment sizing up the situation, taking in what he’s up against. Then, he swiftly dispatches one of the encroaching hyenas, much to the shock of the others. It only takes a few extra intimidating displays to scare the rest of the critters off. The lion returns to his fresh kill momentarily, enjoying the spoils of his prowess. The hyenas take a second as well, clearly trying to reorganize and figure out how to topple the mighty predator. Not one to allow that, the wise king abandons his snack and resumes scaring off the nearby hyenas.

Excited by the thrill of the hunt? Let’s explore these animals from a different perspective and get a bigger picture of their roles in the wild.

Are Lions Under a Lot of Stress?

Being king can truly wreak havoc on a lion’s health. Not only do they already have high nutritional requirements doing to their powerful body, but their environment is almost nothing but stress. For example, recent studies have shown that the larger a pride grows, the higher the pressure gets. Obviously, a ruler has to extend himself further in order to ensure that everyone stays safe. Another factor that increases the overhead for male lions is their combative nature – they often fight each other for dominance. This expectation not only adds the risk of injury, but they have to be ever on the lookout for anyone vying to overthrow them.

One bright side to this entire thing is that prides that include plenty of healthy cubs show significantly lower stress levels. Lions truly benefit from being a full, happy family, which is a unique feature among big cats!

Do Hyenas Make Good Pets?

Although a definitely strange thought, some people have tried taming the wily hyena. Given their tenacious nature and sheer strength, is this even a good idea? Please check out our article on this controversial topic here!