Watch This Male Lion Try To Figure out How To Eat A Crocodile

Written by August Croft
Published: November 9, 2022
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The contents of this particular video are not too different from a house cat playing with a common lizard. However, to see a pride of lions actively engaging with a fearsome crocodile it isn’t exactly a normal occurrence, despite it feeling so commonplace in the video itself. If you have never seen lions and crocodiles interacting with each other, you should definitely check this video out! 

…But What Do Lions Usually Eat?

Lion roaring

While lions are fairly opportunistic eaters that are capable of taking down large prey, crocodiles are not normally something that they eat.

©iStock.com/undefined undefined

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As the video progresses, you see a crocodile interacting with multiple lions, including male and female lions. The male lion in particular takes an interest in the crocodile, biting its back leg and attempting to pull it away from the water. It’s unclear whether or not the male lion wants to consume the crocodile or simply play with it, especially when you consider the fact that crocodiles are not normally on a lion’s menu. 

While lions are fairly opportunistic eaters that are capable of taking down large prey, crocodiles are not normally something that they eat. Given the tough skin of crocodiles and their mutual status as apex predators, most lions do not engage with them. However, given that this crocodile is on land, it is at a higher risk of encountering conflict. But the contents of this video appear to be almost playful, if not simply curious! 

Would a Crocodile Normally Win Against a Lion?

MORELET'S CROCODILE

Given the tough skin of crocodiles and their mutual status as apex predators, most lions do not engage with them.

©iStock.com/slowmotiongli

One interesting thing to point out in this video is the fact that the crocodile is quite slow in its attempt to escape. This is even more interesting when you consider the fact that the water is nearby, a location where a crocodile would have a significant advantage over a lion of any size or gender.

However, all parties involved in this experience seem to be taking things slow. Both the crocodile and the pride of lions interacting with it seemed to enjoy investigating one another, though the male lion in the pride seems to be pushier than the female lions. The crocodile still maintains a sense of calm, at least until the male lion tries to drag him away! 

It appears as if the male lion gets the message when the crocodile turns on him and attempts to bite him, fed up with the lion’s persistent investigation. This isn’t the first time that a crocodile has had a run-in with a group of lions, and it certainly won’t be the last. Check out some of these other videos to see other interactions between lions and crocodiles!:

The photo featured at the top of this post is © SeymsBrugger/Shutterstock.com


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About the Author

August Croft is a writer at A-Z Animals where their primary focus is on astrology, symbolism, and gardening. August has been writing a variety of content for over 4 years and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Theater from Southern Oregon University, which they earned in 2014. They are currently working toward a professional certification in astrology and chart reading. A resident of Oregon, August enjoys playwriting, craft beer, and cooking seasonal recipes for their friends and high school sweetheart.

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