It’s a fun challenge anyone can try, but it might be harder than you think. This video asks you to find a lion on a dry savannah, but you only have 60 seconds. Lions are excellent hunters, and one of their best abilities is stalking their prey. While lions are one of the largest cat species, this video shows just how stealthy they can be in the right environment.
While watching the video, you may wonder if there is actually a lion sitting on the grass. Take the challenge to see if you can spot the big cat within 60 seconds.
©Shawn Levin/Shutterstock.com
lions and their coats
Lion fur is one of the main reasons why they are so hard to spot in tall grass. Unlike other spotted cats such as cheetahs or jaguars, lions are plain in color. The spots on these other felines make for great camouflage, but the simple colors of lions also help them blend in with their surroundings.
The pure light brown color of lions’ bodies helps them blend in beautifully with the rich dry grasslands of the African savannah. Despite their title of “king of the jungle,” lions don’t actually live in them. Bushlands, grasslands, rocky areas and savannahs are the habitats where lions live in Africa. Most lions don’t need to be invisible, but their fur can help them hide when they need to.
lion and invisibility
When hunting, lions use tall grass to hide and stalk their prey until they get close enough to pounce. Hiding helps lions sneak up on zebras, gazelles, buffalo, leopards and other animals that live near them. Due to their size, ferocity, and the large groups in which they live among lions, they are top predators. A pride of lions can have up to 40 members, and hunting is mostly done by the females of the group. If hunting alone or in groups, lions can be as stealthy as other felines when needed.
Lions sleep up to 21 hours a day, and do most of their hunting at night, which further helps them hide. The video shows a lion hiding in plain sight during the day, so imagine how stealthy these cats become at night. Lions hunt both day and night, and will try to sneak up on their prey no matter what time of day it is.
Go ahead, give it a try and see if you can spot the lion in the picture within 60 seconds. Even when not hunting, dry grass near where lions live is great for hiding them. Do your best and find the lion.
Next:
- Watch a pride of 18 lions attack rhinos, zebras and buffalo
- Types of Lions: Every Lion Species and Lower Classifications
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- Can you spot this camouflaged copperhead snake that hides in plain sight?
I am broadly interested in how human activities influence the ability of wildlife to persist in the modified environments that we create.
Specifically, my research investigates how the configuration and composition of landscapes influence the movement and population dynamics of forest birds. Both natural and human-derived fragmenting of habitat can influence where birds settle, how they access the resources they need to survive and reproduce, and these factors in turn affect population demographics. Most recently, I have been studying the ability of individuals to move through and utilize forested areas which have been modified through timber harvest as they seek out resources for the breeding and postfledging phases. As well I am working in collaboration with Parks Canada scientists to examine in the influence of high density moose populations on forest bird communities in Gros Morne National Park. Many of my projects are conducted in collaboration or consultation with representatives of industry and government agencies, seeking to improve the management and sustainability of natural resource extraction.
