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Giraffe predators and prey1/7/2024 The territorial behaviour of lions is complicated because prides split up and re-unite, and hunting grounds shift as the seasons change and the game moves around. During the particularly bad drought of 1964, a pride of lions killed 15 buffalo near Punda Maria - far more than they could have eaten. Lions on a Killing Spreeĭuring periods of drought, lions sometimes go on a killing spree when they come across herds of weak animals. In some instances, up to 50% of a lion's diet can come from scavenging rather than hunting live prey. Kruger researchers suggest male and female lions may also have different prey preferences, with males being more disposed towards hunting buffalo, while lionesses prefer zebra or wildebeest.Īnother lion fact not commonly appreciated is that lions are not just hunters, but scavengers as well, often chasing smaller predators - like cheetah - off their kills. His study also found that, contrary to popular belief, lions are not so fond of impala. He found that, although lion killed relatively few giraffe, giraffe meat accounted for almost a third of the average lion's diet. This was confirmed by a 1960s study by former Kruger Chief Ranger Tol Pienaar who measured the kill rate of lions in the Park against the relative abundance of particular prey. Natural history artist Charles Astley Maberly - who rode through the Park on his bicycle sketching the wildlife in the 1920s - said that, in his experience, lions had a particular preference for waterbuck. Their preference is for buffalo, giraffe, zebra and wildebeest among the bigger animals, and porcupine and warthog as smaller game. In Kruger, lions have a broad diet with 37 animal species on the menu, including ostriches, quelea nestlings, tortoises and small crocodiles. There have been instances in which lions have been killed by giraffe, buffalo, kudu, snakes and even porcupines. Lionesses will feed themselves first, with cubs getting the scraps.Įver wondered what animal can kill a lion? Lions sometimes become the victims of their intended prey. The strongest male lion will eat first, followed by other members of the pride. Buffalo have been known to fend off lion attacks for hours before succumbing to loss of blood and energy. In some cases, a kill can be a bloody, drawn out procedure. In a successful hunt, the prey is knocked off balance, dragged down and then killed with a bite to the back of the neck or the throat. They don't have the inclination for a long chase and will not pursue their prey very far if the first attack fails. They will attempt to get to within 30m of their prey before charging. Lions are not as fast as most of their prey so they rely heavily on the element of surprise when hunting. Collaborative hunting usually involves the males approaching the intended prey upwind with the intention of driving it towards lionesses hiding in the bush downwind. Lions hunt either collaboratively or by themselves. Lions can go without food for more than a week and then tear into prey, eating up to 50kg of meat at a time - that's almost a quarter of the animal's body weight. Lions are believed to feed every three or four days, and need on average between 5kg and 7kg of meat a day. During the day they rest in thorn thickets, often near water holes. In Kruger, the best chance of lion sightings is where the big game herds are.Īs a rule, lions hunt mostly at night and rest during the day but are often active at dawn and dusk and on cooler days. Lions favour open woodlands and thick scrub, the type of landscape that allows them to get as close to their prey as possible without being seen. Male lions come and go - often in spectacular battles over territory or individual dominance - but the pride cohesion remains unaffected, firmly under female control. Pride leadership often shifts between several individual animals - male and female - but the social structure of the pride hinges around the bond between related lionesses, who collaborate in all tasks, from raising cubs to hunting. Lions are the biggest, and most social, of the African cats, living communally in prides. The lion's average lifespan in the bush is probably around 15 years. They are awesome animals, with males weighing up to 225kg and females up to 150kg. Their power is reflected in their impressive size and the fact that their lifestyles allow them to sleep a lot - up to 18 hours a day. Lions have always had an association with royalty and leadership. A thousand years ago, they roamed as far afield as southern Europe, the Middle East and Asia, but they are now found mainly in Africa and are generally restricted to the bigger game reserves.
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