Rare footage out of South Africa reveals the remarkable ability of lions – as kings of the jungle – to emphatically clear animals from a desired area.
The footage, captured by Rushada Schutte at Timbavati Game Reserve, shows more than a dozen vultures and hyenas feasting on an elephant carcass that had briefly been abandoned by a male lion.
“Our resident male lion went for some water by the river causing all the hyenas and vultures to descend onto the carcass,” Schutte, a field guide at Timbavati, described via social media. “But he could not have made a better entrance upon his return.”
View this post on Instagram
Schutte told ForTheWin Outdoors that the “crazy sighting’ occurred in early March. She explained that the lion has been nursing a leg injury, noticeable in the footage, for months.
ALSO ON FTW OUTDOORS: Alarming catch: Why Yellowstone National Park is worried about this fish
Schutte said the injury, perhaps sustained in a fight with another lion, has diminished the lion’s chances of surviving. “So this elephant carcass was a saving grace,” Schutte added.
The lion had been feasting on the carcass for a few days before Schutte captured her footage, which shows that the large cat still possesses plenty of fury and determination.
–Lion image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
