Watch a Male Lion Take Down a Buffalo Single-Handedly

Written by Alan Lemus
Updated: July 19, 2023
© SeymsBrugger/Shutterstock.com
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Key Points:

  • Females are primarily responsible for hunting prey for the pride and are evolved to be excellent hunters.
  • Male lions use their superior size and strength to defend the pride from intruders and rarely join in the hunt.
  • The power of the male lion in the video is demonstrated by how easily he takes down a buffalo single-handedly.

A male lion is the King of the Beasts. He is a soldier and protector known for protecting his young and the lioness. A male lion will do whatever it takes to guard his territory and all the lions in that land.

It is generally the responsibility of lionesses to hunt, but this magnificent video shows a male lion taking down a buffalo by himself. This clip shows the powerful hunting skills of this King of the Jungle. With only one swipe of his mighty paw, he dispatches a buffalo weighing about 1,900 pounds. He suffocates the buffalo by clamping his jaws tightly on its throat.

Lion versus Lioness: Who Makes a Better Hunter?

Roaring Male Lion with impressive Mane
A male lion’s size and strength make up for its lack of agility.

©SteffenTravel/Shutterstock.com

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The lioness is a better hunter than the lion. The lioness hunts alone or in small groups and may hunt while the lion rests at night. Lionesses are also more successful at catching their prey than lions.

The lioness has a smaller mane than the lion’s, which allows her to sneak up on her prey without being noticed. She also has sharp claws that can easily tear through flesh and bone. Moreover, a lioness has excellent vision and hearing, making it easier for her to catch prey in the dark.

Male lions may not be as agile as female lions – but what they lack in speed is made up of sheer brute strength. Male lions can weigh up to 496 pounds – almost double the size of females. While both male and female lions defend their pride against intruders – the male is mostly responsible for this task due to its more powerful size.

Why Are Lionesses Better Hunters Than Male Lions?

lioness
Lionesses are lighter than lions and are more agile as a result

©Michael Zeitner/Shutterstock.com

There are several reasons why the lioness is a better hunter than the male lions. Let us look at some of them:

1. Less Body Mass

A lioness has less body mass than a lion of the same age. She can travel longer distances without tiring out as quickly as lions. Lions prefer staying near their pride. A lioness’ body mass is advantageous for hunting since it means she can cover more ground when looking for prey.

2. Better Sense of Smell

A lion’s sense of smell is not as good as that of a lioness. That’s because a lion has an average-sized nose, while that of a lioness is larger than average. That means a male lion can’t smell prey as quickly and accurately as a lioness.

3. Better Hearing

A lioness has better hearing than a male lion. This helps her spot prey before they become aware of her presence. The male has large ears, but they are not quite as sensitive to sounds as those of a lioness. The lioness has large eye sockets that allow her ears to be positioned more effectively for picking up sounds.

4. Better Vision

A lioness has better vision than her male counterpart. She can spot prey farther away because of her smaller eyes and ears. Her smaller head also means less weight for her to carry around when stalking prey or running after them.

5. Teamwork

The lionesses work together when hunting large prey such as wildebeest and zebra. They hunt during the day while male lions rest after a night’s hunting. The lionesses use their teamwork to surround their prey before attacking it from all sides at once. They may also use their tails to trip up their victim before starting to feed on it once it has fallen to the ground.

Watch This Rare Footage of a Male Lion Bring Down a Buffalo!

Lions are known for their skill in hunting and their immense strength which comes in handy for bringing down larger prey

Other Amazing Videos You Might Like

The scene is South Africa‘s Kruger Park and three hyenas can be seen in the tall dry grass, whooping and chattering. Close by, doing his very best to ignore them is a large regal lion in his prime trying to settle down to a peaceful dinner. Three becomes five and at points, the feline seems ready to walk off with his meal and leave the incessant chattering behind. And after tucking in for a while, he does precisely that. At which point the hyenas close in, having seemingly multiplied. Yet none of them can quite muster the courage to close the distance between the pack and the lion. The apex predator moves off at last while the pack engages in a squabble for the scraps he’s left behind.

Find out what this lion does when he comes up against a pack of hyenas


The Featured Image

Male Lion, Kalahari, South Africa
© SeymsBrugger/Shutterstock.com

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About the Author

Alan is a freelance writer and an avid traveler. He specializes in travel content. When he visits home he enjoys spending time with his family Rottie, Opie.

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