Lions pass within feet of safari tourists – why don’t they attack?

Footage from South Africa shows the nervous reaction of the man closest to the lions. The tour operator provided a reasonable explanation.

Safari tourists recently observed a pride of lions strolling just yards past their open-topped vehicle, and footage of the encounter begs the question:

Why don’t lions attack people who are so close and exposed when they would almost certainly become confrontational if the same people were to exit the vehicle?

The footage was captured by Chitwa Chitwa Private Game Lodge in South Africa. Note the reaction of Moses, sitting closest to the lions, after being cautioned that the lions were approaching.

While Moses appears nervous, he intentionally avoids direct eye contact with the lions to lessen the chance of an adverse reaction.

“A captivating moment as the Nkuhuma pride gracefully strolled past Deon, Moses, and our guests in perfect visibility,” Chitwa Chita stated via social media. “Witnessing the Nkuhuma pride so often has been the greatest pleasure!”

The obvious question was posed by Facebook follower Jason Mwanza: “Admin, why is it lions don’t attack tourist in open vehicles?”

Chitwa Chitwa offered the following response:

Lions generally do not attack tourists in open vehicles due to a few reasons:

1) Lack of Provocation: Lions typically do not see tourists in vehicles as prey or a threat unless provoked.

2) Unfamiliarity: Lions may not recognize the vehicles as prey due to their unfamiliarity with them.

3) Heightened Senses: Lions rely heavily on their senses, and the sights, sounds, and smells of the vehicles may confuse or deter them from attacking.

4) Association with Harmlessness: Lions may have learned through experience that vehicles do not pose a threat to them and are harmless.

5) Respect for Size and Noise: The size and noise of the vehicles may intimidate the lions, deterring them from attacking.

6) Conservation Regulations: In many wildlife reserves, rules and regulations are in place to ensure the safety of both tourists and animals, and vehicles are required to maintain a safe distance from the wildlife.

Watch: Elephant topples tree in show of ‘unparalleled strength’

Safari guests can be heard laughing in disbelief as the elephant easily uproots the tree in a South Africa game reserve.

Safari guests in South Africa watched in awe recently as an elephant uprooted and toppled a fairly large tree.

“Unparalleled strength. He made it look so easy,” Tim Prettejohn, a guide for Dulini Lodge, described via Instagram.

Prettejohn’s footage shows the elephant shoving with its head and pushing three times before the tree toppled to the ground. The safari guests can be heard laughing in disbelief.

Elephants are known to occasionally topple savanna trees in order to access their upper leaves. In fact, this type of browsing behavior is fairly common and has been described as destructive in parts of South Africa.

Dulini Lodge is within Sabi Sands Game Reserve adjacent to Kruger National Park.

Watch: Lion bites trailer tire, leaving tourists deflated

Footage has surfaced showing a lioness popping a trailer tire in Kruger National Park as a male lion watched curiously from alongside the road.

Earlier this year we shared footage showing a bull elk using its antlers to pop the tire of a vehicle driven by a tourist who had taunted the animal.

The “perfect response” event occurred in the Rocky Mountains.

On Thursday, footage surfaced showing a female lion biting the tire of a trailer being pulled by tourists in South Africa’s Kruger National Park.

The footage, captured by Ryan Badenhorst and shared by Kruger Sightings, shows the lioness backing away as air hissed from the tire.

A male lion watched curiously from a resting position alongside the road.

It was unclear why the lioness bit the tire, or how the tourists dealt with the dangerous situation.

Watch: ‘Massive’ lion forces standoff with safari vehicle

Footage captured recently in South Africa’s Kruger National Park shows a large male lion in a brief but dramatic standoff with a safari vehicle.

When you’re on a photo safari in South Africa’s Kruger National Park, you pass the king of beasts on his terms.

The accompanying footage, featured Friday by Wildest Kruger Sightings, shows a ‘massive’ male lion in a dramatic standoff with a safari vehicle.

The driver attempts to pass as the lion has his back to the vehicle, facing a lioness napping on the road’s edge.

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But in a swift about-face, issuing a roar of disapproval, the lion forces a standoff that lasts several seconds before the lion determines the threat has passed.

The passengers, only feet away, undoubtedly captured incredible images before the lion turned away.

In another dramatic display this past week in Kruger, a smaller male lion found itself facing down several angry hippos after becoming stranded on a rock in a river.

The lion leaped and began to swim when the closest hippo lunged with its enormous mouth agape. Another hippo went after the lion, but the lion was too quick.

–Image courtesy of Wildest Kruger Sightings

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Long procession of elephants halts safari; ‘Look at the baby’

A tour of South Africa’s Pilanesberg National Park was halted briefly by a long procession of elephants, including a newborn, walking majestically in line across a road.

A recent tour of South Africa’s Pilanesberg National Park was halted briefly by a long procession of elephants striding majestically in line across a road.

Nombekana Wildlife Safaris and Photography described the scene as “amazing.” The accompanying footage shows elephants of all sizes walking purposefully just yards in front of the group.

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The first of 14 elephants reaches the road at 30 seconds but viewers will want to pay attention at the 1-minute mark. That’s when a newborn elephant emerges from the grass, an obedient member of the procession.

“Look at the baby,” the videographer whispers.

As the last of the elephants pass, the guide asks, “How outstanding was that, guys? Oh, my god…”

The clients are in awe and don’t respond, so the guide adds: “My thoughts exactly. Just mind-blowing stuff.”

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Watch: Courageous baby elephant charges safari vehicle

A baby elephant was caught on video recently charging a safari vehicle in South Africa’s Kruger National Park

A baby elephant in South Africa’s Kruger National Park apparently has a low tolerance of tourists in shiny safari vehicles.

The accompanying footage, shared Friday by Wildest Kruger Sightings, shows the young elephant gathering courage to charge the vehicle in a show of bravado typically reserved for larger elephants.

No contact was made during the half-hearted charge. But the charge, and the obvious concern among the larger elephants, persuaded the driver of the vehicle to pull forward.

Wildest Kruger Sightings did not provide video credit or the date of this interaction.

Kruger National Park, located in northeastern South Africa, spans nearly 5 million acres and is one of the largest game reserves on the African continent.

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Watch: Critters scatter as furious lion reclaims prize

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.

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.”

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A post shared by Rushada (@rushadaschutte11)

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.

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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

Watch: Hippos rescue wildebeest from attacking crocodiles

A visitor at South Africa’s Kruger National Park has captured a remarkable scene in which hippos rescued a wildebeest from attacking crocodiles.

A tour guide at South Africa’s Kruger National Park has captured a dramatic and remarkable scene in which hippos rescued a wildebeest from attacking crocodiles.

The accompanying graphic footage, captured by Chase Kurucz, shows two large crocodiles clutching the wildebeest by its head and leg, respectively, at water’s edge.

“We stopped to watch all the animals come down to drink and saw a cool heron surfing on the back of a hippo, it was an enjoyable sight,” Kurucz, of Chasin’ Africa Safaris, is quoted by News 24.

“An unsuspecting group of wildebeest sauntered down to the water’s edge for a drink when a huge crocodile jumped right out and immediately grabbed one of the wildebeest, keeping its jaws locked on the animals head.”

As stated in the video, the crocs were attempting to drag the wildebeest into the water to spin and drown the animal. But their plan was doomed thanks to the presence of so many massive hippos.

One hippo is seen charging the crocs and several others surround them in a show of force that ultimately prompts the crocs to release their grasp on their prey.

Kurucz wasn’t sure if the hippos wanted in on the wildebeest kill or were merely trying to thwart the crocs’ attempts at securing a feast.

“They kept the wildebeest surrounded and it all looked like a pretty hopeless situation,” he said. “[But] the wildebeest was obviously exhausted and it seemed as if the hippos sensed its fear of the whole ordeal.

“They calmly kept close to the wildebeest but he seemed to have picked up a second wind changing direction and seeking another escape route.”

The wildebeest found that route but paused for several seconds before continuing toward shore with a badly injured leg.

The footage, captured at Gezanftombi Dam, was shared to Facebook by Latest Sightings – Greater Kruger on Wednesday.

Suspected poacher likely killed by elephant in South African reserve

A suspected poacher appears to have been killed by an elephant in South Africa’s vast Kruger National Park.

A suspected poacher appears to have been killed by an elephant in South Africa’s vast Kruger National Park.

The park announced via Twitter that the body of the suspect was discovered Thursday in the Stolznek district as a result of an “intelligence-driven” search.

“Initial investigations suspect that the deceased was killed by an elephant and left behind by his accomplices,” Kruger National Park stated. The park added that no animals had been killed in the area and that poaching of elephants for their ivory tusks will not be tolerated.

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“Criminals stand to lose their lives and freedom,” the park warned.

African elephants can weigh up to seven tons; their tusks can weigh more than 150 pounds apiece. The pachyderms are highly intelligent and this would not be the first instance of an elephant killing or injuring a poacher.

Kruger National Park, which spans more than 7,500 square miles, is home to more than 140 species of large mammals, including tusked elephants and rhinoceroses.

20 lions drinking in perfect order is quite the video sensation

Video footage showing as many as 20 lions sipping from a South African river in a near-perfect line apparently is worth watching more than once.

Footage showing as many as 20 lions sipping from a South African river in near-perfect order apparently is worth a second look.

The accompanying footage, featured recently on the Latest Sightings – Greater Kruger Facebook page, has garnered more than 16 million views.

The lions, like bar patrons waltzing in for Happy Hour, descend the bank one by one and line up at water’s edge until the videographer says, “I can’t even fit them on my phone.”

The lions keep coming and soon the only sound is their collective slurping.

It turns out to be at least the second time Latest Sightings has shared the footage.

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FTW Outdoors featured the same event in July 2020, shortly after Nadav Ossendryver, founder and CEO of Latest Sightings, captured the footage at the Sand River inside the Mala Mala Private Game Reserve.

A spokesman for Latest Sightings told FTW Outdoors this week that the footage also was featured in a TV show, “Safari Sightings.” The show is available on the People’s Weather channel on DSTV.

Mala Mala is within the Sabi Sand Game Reserve and part of the Greater Kruger National Park ecosystem. Ossendryver and his crew watched elephants drink from the river before the lions began to appear.