Not only did it not run away, but the wild dog also turned back to confront the lion, creating a surprising ending to the encounter.
The clip was shared by Parveen Kaswan, an Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer, on social media platform Twitter with the caption: “In life, we need to have such great confidence. A confrontation between a dog and a lion. This incident also raises issues about the interaction between wild dogs and wildlife.”
Specifically, a dog and an Asian lion were involved in a confrontation in Gir National Park, Gujarat. Initially, the female lion chased the wild dog. However, instead of trying to run away, the dog turned back to confront its foe and barked loudly.
Despite being attacked by the lion’s paw, it continued to advance and bark aggressively. Faced with the dog’s attitude, the large animal had to retreat. In the end, the wild dog left unharmed. A group of tourists in a nearby Jeep observed the entire encounter.
The wild dog advances aggressively and barks.
Asian lions (Panthera leo) are native to Gir National Park in Gujarat, India. They are slightly smaller than their African lion relatives and are characterized by a large tuft of hair on their tails and a fold of skin along their bellies.
In the wild, they typically live for 16-18 years, with adult males weighing between 135-230 kg. Asian lions live in prides, with females being the primary hunters. They usually hunt at night, targeting prey such as deer, buffalo, wild boar, and other species.
This predator species has been classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) since 2000.
