The ultimate showdown between a lion and a buffalo only ends when one animal is completely defeated.
A dramatic scene captured at the Mala Mala Game Reserve (South Africa) showcases the resistance and strength of the buffalo, which even forces the “king of beasts” to submit.
In the video, the male lion is seen struggling to sink its teeth and claws into its prey, yet the brave buffalo fiercely retaliates, delivering several deadly blows.
After a prolonged struggle, the lion is severely injured and weak to the point of collapsing on the ground, while the buffalo appears completely unharmed. It is evident that the lion had been starved for several days prior; it is nothing but skin and bones, trembling from hunger.
Nevertheless, the lion refuses to give up on its prey. Each time the buffalo turns away or lets its guard down, the lion lunges and attacks from behind. However, due to its significant loss of strength and weakness from starvation, the lion is easily tossed around by the buffalo’s horns “like a puppet.”
In the latter part of the video, additional members of the buffalo herd rush to assist, causing the already defeated lion to receive even more painful blows.
The outcome is predictable, as the lion is battered to the point of being incapacitated, only able to lie and breathe in one spot, while the buffalo calmly walks away.
Encounters between lions and buffaloes are often fierce and unpredictable.
African buffalo is one of the largest and most common herbivores on the “Dark Continent.” Their greatest natural enemy is the lion, as these fierce hunters frequently take down and consume buffaloes.
However, it often takes multiple lions working together to bring down an adult buffalo.
This is because they have a very robust build (standing up to 1.7 meters tall), weighing between 500 – 900 kg, with skin thick enough to reach 5 cm in certain areas, not to mention their fearsome sharp horns.
The horns of an adult buffalo are also a defining characteristic of the species. Not only are they effective weapons, but they also form a bony shield on the buffalo’s head, providing additional safety when facing predators. According to statistics, a charge from an adult African buffalo is about four times stronger than that of a bull.
Crocodiles may be the only animals capable of taking down an adult buffalo without assistance from their kind. If a lion attempts a similar foolish act, it usually faces a humiliating defeat due to the size and resilience differences between the two species.
