Watch a Macho Buffalo Impale an Attacking Lion and Survive an Epic Battle

Key Points

• Typically, lions prey upon buffalo, wildebeest, and zebra. To incapacitate large prey, lions will go attack as a group and go for the hindquarters of the animal.
• Buffalo horns are long and sharp; one stab can kill a lion. Lions instinctually avoid the horns.
• In this video, a buffalo is attacked by a pride and tries to remain steadfast. It drags them into the water and slings one like a ragdoll.

In Botswana, there is a protected area called the Moremi Game Reserve. In this luxurious safari environment, you encounter lagoons, mopane woodlands, floodplains, and acacia forests. Visitors enjoy wildlife in their nearby surroundings, including rhinoceros, cheetahs, buffalo, African wild dogs, and lions.

Aside from large mammals, over 500 bird species call this place home. There are also over a thousand plant species to explore. There are several camps and lodges for guests to enjoy comfort in a natural environment. Many of the sites have private decks where guests lounge while looking out onto the reserve.

Do Lions Eat Buffalo?

Buffalos are included in the list of prey animals lions go after. Some other prey animals include wildebeests and zebras. Although these prey animals are larger than lions, lions hunt in groups called prides and are adept at taking them down.

They go for the most vulnerable part of the animal — its hindquarters. They attack at once, exhausting the giant mammal until it hits the ground and they’re able to feast. Although a single lion may be capable of hunting and killing a buffalo, this is a rare occurrence. They are much more effective when hunting in prides.

How Do Buffalos Defend Themselves Against Predators?

Buffalos have huge, sharp horns that lions know to avoid. A single impalement can prove deadly to a lion. This video was taken at the Moremi Game Reserve and starts just as a pride of lions has already begun its attack on a buffalo.

They’re all over its back and the buffalo is roaring in pain, attempting to take steps away from the lions. The lions are keeping it secured with both their paws and their sharp teeth as they remain steadfast, focused on their next meal.

However, this buffalo is not going down without a fight. It’s hard to watch but the buffalo persists, even dragging the lions down into the water. Its sheer strength and will to live are on full display throughout the video. The lions cling unwaveringly to the buffalo, teaming up to get it off its feet.

The buffalo manages to escape all except one last, persistent attacker. The buffalo spins in circles several times, the determined lion clinging to its behind. Suddenly, it flips the lion onto its horns and throws it into the air several times like a rag doll. Watch how the battle ends in the video below!