Watch the World’s Toughest Buffalo Battle 15 Lions and 3 Hippos… And Win!

 

This poor cape buffalo is having an exceptionally bad day. It faces one problem after another on the plains of the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Africa. Scroll down to watch the full video of this beleaguered bovine eventually triumphing over its numerous attackers!

Is It Normal Behavior for Lions to Hunt as a Pride?

Yes, this pride of lions is hunting as they would normally do. Lions are highly social animals and live in matriarchal groups made up of females that are usually related. They are carnivores and hunt a wide variety of prey but their success rates with larger prey in particular, are greater when they hunt as a group. They go for medium to large ungulates, so buffalo are a typical target.

Usually, the hunt starts with a stalking stage but we have joined the action too late for that. This buffalo already knows that the lions are there and the time for stealth is over!

What we are witnessing here is the ‘attack sequence’. The lions have launched an attack because they have reached the striking range of the prey. Some lions run ahead to try to cut off the escape route. Whilst a chase is perfectly acceptable for the lions, there is a limit to how far they will pursue the prey. So, they can reach 37 mph in short bursts but cannot keep it up. It is important for them to keep away from the buffalo’s sharp horns so they keep having to back off. As long as the bovine can remain upright, it stands a chance of escape. Fleeing to the stream was a wise move as lions are willing to swim but are not always that keen on doing so.

Are Hippos Always Aggressive?

Unbeknown to the buffalo, this stream is the territory of another animal – the hippopotamus. Hippos can be highly territorial, especially in areas of water. In fact, they are the deadliest animals in Africa, killing at least 500 people a year. They are not at all pleased about the presence of the buffalo and make that obvious. Hippos use their sheer size and weight together with their sharp teeth to see off intruders. Nevertheless, the buffalo is also big and has sharp horns so these guys are quite evenly matched.

Finally, the lions get distracted by a nearby zebra and the buffalo can make its escape!

Watch the Entire Video to See the Buffalo Win the Day!