A lioness climbed a tree to steal food and attacked a leopard, but had to abandon the fight when a herd of elephants arrived to chase her away.
FJ Mammes, the head guide at the Sabi Sand Nature Reserve, recorded the encounter between lions, leopards, and elephants in the reserve, as reported by Latest Sightings on June 8. Mammes and his tour group were alerted that a male leopard named Ravenscourt had just taken down an antelope, prompting them to hurry to the location for observation. On their way, they encountered two lionesses heading in the same direction.
Sometimes, lionesses will take advantage of the food that other predators have caught. Upon noticing the leopard with its prey, a lioness will use her large and powerful body to intimidate her rival and steal the food.
The lioness quickly climbed the tree causing the leopard to drop its meal.
Upon arrival, Mammes saw the lionesses already there. “One lioness quickly climbed the tree, causing the leopard to drop its meal. The second lioness seized the prey on the ground and ran away, while the first one began to attack the leopard,” he recounted.
“Just when we thought the situation couldn’t get any more tense, a herd of elephants appeared from the bushes. They seemed annoyed by the commotion and started trumpeting, causing the lioness in the tree to flee. The elephants continued to chase the lioness, giving the leopard a chance to escape. It also jumped from the tree and ran away, leaving us in awe of what we had just witnessed,” Mammes added.
African elephants (Loxodonta) are the largest land animals on Earth. They are herbivores with a natural lifespan of about 70 years, weighing between 2.5 to 7 tons, and standing approximately 2.5 to 4 meters tall.
Elephants sometimes chase away lions when they feel threatened by the presence of these predators. Upon spotting a lion, they will trumpet loudly as a warning. Lions, being smaller and weaker, may feel frightened and retreat. Elephants are fiercely protective and aim to keep their herd safe. Therefore, they rely on their size and strength to intimidate lions, causing these predators to stay away.
