Watch a Pride of Lions Roll 22-Deep and Trigger an Absolute Melee

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Kruger National Park is a very popular tourist destination in South Africa. This area is one of the few places in the world where people can watch some of the largest mammals battle for survival against some of the deadliest predators.

In this case, a pride of 22 lions decided to have a buffalo for dinner. It’s not long before this interaction turns into a near interspecies war between lions, buffalo, and elephants.

The video begins with at least eight lions in view. Some lions have covered the buffalo while others expectantly wait for the creature’s demise. The massive ungulate is doing his best to fight them off, but it’s tired and groaning the entire time. One lion has bitten into the buffalo’s back, and another has it around the snout.

Backup arrives just when it seems like they’re about to take the buffalo down for good. Another buffalo comes trotting into the area, scattering the lions. The pride of lions may be tough, but no particular one of them wants to risk injury by stopping the new buffalo.

The original buffalo is freed from the grasp of the lions, though a little worse for wear with severe bites on its back. The rescuer sees that it may have overreached and decides to run back the way it came. The injured buffalo runs off the side and finds itself among even more lions.

All 22 Lions Come to Fight

The hillside seems to come to life as more lions appear. Their sandy fur color had camouflaged them, and now the original buffalo has nowhere to go. The mammal turns to run the way its comrade came, but lions pile on its back.

The buffalo breaks free for a moment but finds itself covered in lions that bite its sides, neck, and back. Once again, the second buffalo charges and breaks up the hunting party, and it seems like the buffalo could escape.

However, the pride of the 22 lions is persistent, and they catch up to the creature a little bit later. The buffalo’s side is gashed open, and they have chewed off its tail. The pride focuses on attacking its rear legs, weighing down the buffalo, and ensuring it can’t get away.

Lions are persistent hunters when taking down large prey. After all, that’s the safest way to hunt for them. They have clearly worn down the buffalo, and it seems resigned to its fate. They roll the great beast on its back and start to deal more damage to it. The buffalo is done fighting.  

Suddenly, a herd of elephants passes through, and the cameraman says, “Here comes the real king of the jungle.”

However, the herd has a calf with it. They know that if they focus their energy on picking a fight with the large pride of lions, they could find themselves surrounded, endangering their young. The elephants make trumpet noises, but the 22 lions aren’t worried.

One of the elephants performs a bluff charge, but it doesn’t come anywhere close to the lions. The elephant herd just wants to safely pass through, leaving the lions to finish their grizzly task.

Is it Normal for Groups of Animals to Attack Each Other?

The short answer here is yes. Fights between social groups of animals are common in the animal kingdom. Groups with more members are often assumed as the likely winners of these group battles. Studies of animals that partake in these types of behaviors are primates, lions, birds, and even some species of ants.

In many cases, animals use displays of aggression to establish dominance over rivals or to protect their territory from intruders. These displays can take many forms, from vocalizations and physical posturing to physical combat. In some species, such as lions and wolves, conflict and fighting may also be used to establish dominance hierarchies within a group, with the strongest and most dominant individuals rising to the top.

While conflict and fighting are common behaviors in the animal kingdom, they are not always violent or destructive. In many cases, animals may use displays of aggression to resolve conflicts and establish social order without causing harm to one another. Additionally, many animals also have complex systems of communication and social behavior that allow them to establish peaceful coexistence and avoid violent conflict when possible.