The timely presence of an elephant to drive away a pack of hungry hyenas before they could attack an injured lion has drawn many comparisons to a guard soldier appearing to protect a king.
Lions are still regarded as the “lords of the savannah” due to their majesty and superior strength compared to other animals inhabiting the grasslands. Lions always hold the position of predator, instilling fear in other species.
An elephant timely rescues an injured lion from a pack of hungry hyenas. (Video: VPres).
However, if a lion is alone or injured, it lacks the strength to defend itself and can easily become a target for the cunning and clever hyenas.
The clip, recorded by a 47-year-old tourist named Morne du Plessis at Kruger National Park in South Africa, shows the moment a nearly adult male lion limps due to its injuries.
Noticing the lion alone and injured, two hyenas closely followed it, looking for an opportunity to attack and turn the “lord of the savannah” into a meal. With its immaturity, solitude, and injuries, the lion was certainly unable to fend off two attacking hyenas.
Morne du Plessis and other tourists witnessing this scene thought of a grim ending for the young lion. Suddenly, an elephant burst out from the bushes, roaring menacingly and charging straight at the two hyenas, driving them away from the injured lion.
“Nature always harbors many unexpected and fascinating phenomena that cannot be explained. The elephant appeared out of nowhere, but I believe it had a clear purpose: to chase away the hyenas to protect the injured lion.”
“I don’t understand why it did that, but I was very impressed,” Morne du Plessis shared.
According to a staff member at Kruger National Park, the lion had been injured and separated from its pride after a night hunt. The hyenas, upon discovering the lone lion, showed their intent to attack for a meal.
“Typically, hyenas don’t dare to attack lions, but if they see a lion alone or injured, they can exploit weaknesses to overpower and kill the lion,” the park staff member explained.
An elephant bursts out of the bushes, roaring menacingly and charging straight at the two hyenas.
The clip by Morne du Plessis went viral after being posted on social media. Many netizens, after watching the clip, compared the timely appearance of the elephant to a guardian showing up just in time to rescue its king in a dangerous situation.
Meanwhile, many believe that the elephant in the clip may have lost a calf to hyenas before, leading it to seek revenge whenever it sees hyenas appear.
The timely presence of the elephant saved the injured lion this time, but no one can be sure if, given the lion’s current condition, it can survive alone in the wild.
