Watch the Incredible Moment a Braveheart Rhino Stands up to a Lion Army

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It’s hard to decide which is the most fascinating thing about this clip. Is it the sight of a pride of lions weighing up whether they should try to tackle a fully grown rhino or not? Or, is it the lines of animals who are making up an audience to watch the action? You can almost hear the giraffes, zebras, and wildebeest saying “No wait a minute, I have to watch this!”

What Do Lions Normally Hunt?

Lions are carnivores and therefore need to consume the flesh of other animals to survive. They are generalist hunters and are able to prey on a wide range of animals. Lions are also opportunists and will take advantage of whatever food source they can find. Their target prey may alter with the season – they basically eat what is most abundant at the time.

In Africa, they usually rely on medium to large ungulates (animals with hooves) and focus on two or three key species in an ecosystem. This could include buffalo, waterbuck, and zebra.

However, in other areas small mammals make up a larger portion of their diet and you will see them hunting porcupines and mice as well as fish and birds. On the coast, they will hunt seals and they will also take domestic livestock and horses when they are near human settlements.

How Large Do Rhinos Get?

Lions are strong and quick, but they can’t bring down fully grown rhinos because rhinos are much larger. Rhinos might seem slow, but they’re surprisingly fast and agile. They can swiftly turn to defend themselves with their horns.

Among African rhinos, black rhinos are smaller. They’re about 5.2 feet tall and weigh between 1,720 and 3,080 pounds. On the other hand, white rhinos are the largest type. They can weigh from 3,080 to 7,920 pounds and be around 5 to 6 feet tall.

Can Lions Kill Rhinos?

Yes, it is possible for lions to kill rhinos but only under certain circumstances. A pride of lions would have a good chance of bringing down a rhino calf, provided they can get past the mother! It is more common for them to target juvenile rhinos with no protective parent on hand.

Lions will also target sick or injured rhinos. The pride in this clip may be working out the health status of the rhino so that they can decide whether to attack or not. It looks as if the rhino here is perfectly healthy and they will therefore decide to leave it alone.

Remarkably, the animals looking on are also potential prey for the lion pride. So, the audience needs to be careful that they don’t become part of the show!

Is It Normal Behavior for Lions to Attack Rhinos?

A lion may only go after or attack a rhino if it is injured or alone. A young calf may become prey for the lions if it is unattended, otherwise, a mother rhino will fiercely protect her young and may even approach other predators as they are secure in their protective nature.

In the vast savannah, lions often form small hunting parties called prides, with the females taking charge of the hunt. Their preferred targets are medium-sized prey like antelope, zebra, and buffalo. So rhinos aren’t a common food source.

Remarkably, these formidable predators may also take down larger game, like wildebeest, rhino attacks are rare!