At A to Z Animals, we are passionate about educating the public about animals, nature and everything in between. Sometimes, this includes sharing information that may not be for the faint of heart.
The videos you’re about to watch are essentially pictures, which is why we’re giving you the option to read what to read! It’s jaw-dropping what happens in the wild, we never know what animals do in their natural habitat.
Today’s video takes place in Kruger National Park, a popular tourist destination for safari enthusiasts. It first shows the lion’s covert pride in foraging for fresh food.
They hide in the grass to keep their prey close. They move slowly and cautiously in the path of their intended victim. When they get close enough to attack, they will instantly dash towards the target. Lions attack their victims, severing their windpipes to render them helpless, and then attacking their backs and noses.
©Johan Swanepoel/Shutterstock.com
The next thing we see in the footage is attacking the mother hippo’s pride while her baby stands helplessly aside. Hippo mothers are fiercely protective of their offspring, nursing them for eight months, during which time they develop a highly aggressive personality.
Just like any other mother, this hippo will do everything in her power to protect her baby. The lion attacked the hippo from behind until it eventually fell to the ground. One thing that stands out about this interaction is that the hippos rarely fight back.
surrender without a fight
While hippos are likely to win a one-on-one competition with a lone lion, they simply cannot take on an entire pride. The hippo sat and seemed to calm down as the feline began stripping flesh from the giant animal’s back. All the while, we get to see baby hippos hiding under their mothers.
Perhaps like humans, this hippo is keeping calm to protect her young. Maybe she knew it was impossible to attack and win with a few lions. It may be the case that the hippo has been injured or extremely tired, whereas the lion can judge and act accordingly.
Unfortunately, the hungry cats didn’t stop after the adult hippos were killed. The rest of the pride joined in and made a meal out of the calf as well. While it can be difficult to see and hear the death of young animals, it is part of nature and the cycle of life.
One comment reads, “There are things that happen in nature that we can never fully understand. This encounter between a hippopotamus and its young is a perfect example.”
If you are interested in this, you can watch the video below.
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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.
