Watch This Male Lion Bully a Young Leopard Out of His Breakfast

Continue reading for our analysis...

The animal kingdom can be ruthless, even for fierce predators like leopards (Panthera pardus). The elite hunter was ready to devour a tasty warthog meal, but a mighty male lion had other ideas. The leopard attempted to finish his kill, but the hefty pig let out a few high-pitched squeals. Warthogs communicate in a variety of vocalizations, and this was likely a distress signal. In any case, this noise alerted a dominant male lion, who investigated the scene. He stormed in and pounced on the young leopard, delivering a powerful blow from his paw that sent the big cat packing. As the leopard escaped, another adult male lion appeared to help secure the warthog kill. As the footage concludes, we notice the leopard panting in the distance, lucky to survive the attack. He would eventually be spotted perched on a tree, likely frustrated to miss out on a meal.

Scenes like this in the wild aren’t uncommon. Vultures aren’t the only scavengers animals must worry about. So, continue reading to discover more about this brutal but natural practice.

What is a Scavenger?

Scavengers are animals that exploit dead and decomposing organisms or plant matter. The organism could be lost to natural causes or predation from other animals. In fact, 25–98% of animals who die annually are consumed by scavengers. Scavenging species play a vital part in an ecosystem, removing toxins and other diseases left behind by rotting carcasses or decaying plants. Decomposing animals is an environmental nuisance, so what most consider a dirty practice from scavengers is crucial to a healthy ecosystem.

Why Do Lions Scavenge for Food?

When considering what happened in the footage, you might wonder why an animal as formidable as a lion would scavenge for food. The reason for this is that lions are opportunistic predators and consumers. They prefer to hunt large prey like zebra, deer, and buffalo but will settle for smaller or more convenient animals when need be. In addition, lions will snag carrion from other predators. Given their intimidating size and strength and the necessity to secure food to survive, it makes sense that lions will bully their way into a meal. However, there are many more examples of this behavior in the animal kingdom.

What Other Animals Are Considered Scavengers?

Here are seven other animals who have no qualms about stealing a kill:

• Coyotes
• Hyenas
• Raccoons
• Ravens
• Bears
• Jackals
• Wolves