Lions may be kings of the jungle, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be frightened. In the footage, two rhinos stalk a dozing pair of lions.
However, sneaky might not be the best description given the size of this gigantic rhino. It’s hard to imagine them moving anywhere quietly. Rhinos can weigh up to 1.5 tons, with the largest species being the white rhino, which can weigh nearly 8,000 pounds as an adult. That’s a huge animal!
They also have ferocious horns that can be over four feet long. The rhino in this video is an adult rhino with large horns. Adult rhinos are accompanied by a juvenile with smaller horns. The smaller animals loiter behind, apparently following the lead of the adult rhino.
Are lions not carnivores?
© Seyms Brugger/Shutterstock.com
Lions are also ferocious predators in their environment. But just like house cats, they also love to nap in the sun. This pair of lions is a male and a female. A male lion turns its back on an approaching rhino. His tail twitched a little as he slept. It’s such a peaceful scene, you almost forget that lions are top predators.
When a rhino approaches, the male lifts his head. Lions have excellent senses of smell and hearing. Something the size of an adult rhino doesn’t escape attention for long. But because his back was turned to the rhino, the lion didn’t immediately realize that there was another dangerous animal nearby.
He looked down as if to say “No, five more minutes!”
Rhino Alarm Clock
© Millie Bond – Copyright AZ Animals
However, the rhino didn’t stop there. The two are getting closer and closer to the lion. Eventually, they were just a few feet away. The lion looked back and was taken aback: a rhino’s huge horn was rushing head-on!
The lion got up and stood up. Lionesses do the same as directed by their mates. When she opened her eyes, she could clearly see the rhino walking towards them. She jumped into a tall bush. The lion followed closely behind.
How did the rhino react? At first, they seemed taken aback by the lion’s sudden action. While it’s hard to miss the sleeping lions, the rhinos will be on the lookout when they suddenly jump up.
The kings of the jungle, the lion and the rhino, both live to tell the story. The rhino kept walking while the lion ran off to find another place to relax.
Next:
- What is rhino horn made of? Biggest rhino horn ever!
- This sable antelope nearly put a lion on a horn kebab during its attack
- These lions are too busy arguing so their dinner gets up and walks away
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.
