Can you spot the lion out in the open staring at tourists?

Lions have an amazing ability to blend in with the terrain of the African savanna. This trait allows them to easily sneak up on prey.

Editor’s note: A version of this post was first published on Aug. 8, 2023. 

Lions possess the ability to blend in with the dry, low-lying grasses of the African savanna, a trait that allows them to easily sneak up on prey.

In this case, however, tourists at Kruger National Park in South Africa managed to spot a lone lion because it was walking through the grass.

“Whilst driving along slowly, we noticed a movement that caught our eye as she [the lion] was walking along through the grass,” Peter Hall explained to USA Today/For The Win Outdoors.

“We stopped there and I took that photo once she had stopped walking for a while and was just sitting there watching us. With a long lens, I could get a decent pic. She was at least 50 meters [165 feet] away. But I liked the way she blended so perfectly into the surrounding landscape of the Central Kruger Park, near Tshokwane.”

Also on FTW Outdoors: Can you spot the leopard with the ‘good disguise’?

Hall is a professional artist based in Johannesburg, South Africa. He often incorporates wildlife into his beautiful work.

Hall posted the image on the private Facebook page called SANParks – Kruger National Park, asking “can you see her?”

One commenter said she saw a lion face made by the rocks.

“It felt a bit like a ‘Where’s Wally’ page, but I finally spotted her,” another wrote.

Others wrote:

“It took a little while to spot her. Well done, amazing photo.”

“So well camouflaged.”

In case you needed help:

Photo credit: Peter Hall

Check out Hall’s work at Peter Hall Artist on Facebook.

Photo used by permission from Peter Hall.

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Can you spot the leopard? Photographer barely spotted it in time

Wildlife photographer Henri Olckers had nearly given up on spotting a leopard until he turned his head and saw some spots.

Editor’s note: A version of this post was first published on April 10, 2024.

Wildlife photographer Henri Olckers and his father were driving down a dirt road in Kruger National Park hoping to spot a leopard relaxing on a branch.

“But it wasn’t meant to be,” Olckers recalled to USA Today/For The Win Outdoors. “Or so it felt.”

They were driving on S125 for the first time in the iconic South African park.

“It is a beautiful, quiet 20-kilometer road, running parallel to a dry riverbed on the one side and dense bush on the other,” he told FTW Outdoors. “We were both scanning every tree next to the riverbed.

“Approximately 1 kilometer before the end of the road, we had almost given up all hope when I turned my head away from the riverbed and looked to the right. All I remember was seeing a few spots in the dense foliage, and I slammed on the brakes. I just remember yelling to my dad, ‘Leopard, leopard, leopard.’

“I grabbed my camera with my one hand and steered with the other. I couldn’t decide if I should reverse quickly and risk scaring it off or reverse slowly and miss a photo opportunity.”

He slowly got the vehicle into position. Luckily the leopard remained stationary and he started taking photos.

“It clearly wasn’t used to cars or people because it immediately lowered its head and ears as if trying to hide. Once we switched off the car, it relaxed a bit more, later seeming quite interested in us. After about 3-4 minutes, he got up and walked deeper into the bush where we lost visual.”

Several people viewing the image on Olckers’ Facebook page never could spot it. Among the comments:

“I would have driven straight past. Blissfully unaware.”

“Can’t see any animal, but just love the beautiful vegetation—especially the golden grasses.”

“I couldn’t find.”

“Took a while. I thought I was getting goofed on. I would not survive long in the jungle.”

Photo credit: Henri Olckers

The spots are what stand out the most, just as they did when Olckers first spotted them.

“It was the highlight of our trip,” Olckers told FTW Outdoors.

Photos used by permission of Henri Olckers.

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Lions think they can take down a rhino; boy, were they wrong

A safari guide captured video of a rhino sending a male lion scampering away with its tail figuratively between its legs.

Lions usually know better than to take on a massive white rhino. They are said to know their limitations. But that didn’t stop a trio of lions at Kruger National Park in South Africa from trying.

The end result was the male lion nearly getting gored by the rhino.

Safari guide Jordan Davidson shared video of the unique encounter and shared it with Latest Sightings.

The rhino walked right up to where a male and two female lions were lounging about. It probably didn’t see them right away, but when it did, it took a defensive stance.

The first female got up and relocated. When an opportunity presented itself, the second female leaped up on the rhino’s rear.

“It didn’t even take a second for the lioness to realize that she was in over her head,” Latest Sightings reported. “She immediately let go and abandoned ship…The now very grumpy rhino was turning around to face them.

Also on FTW Outdoors: Toddler is plucked out of mother’s hands by a giraffe (video)

“With both lionesses out of the picture, the only thing that stood in the rhino’s way was the poor male lion! Having a stare down with an animal that is bigger than some family-sized cars can only be daunting, but amazingly the lion’s first instinct wasn’t to run!

“No, the lion walked right up to the rhino to meet it head-on! This was unquestionably brave, but considering just how long the rhino’s horn was, it didn’t seem like the greatest of ideas.”

Hardly. The video tells the story.

“Without much surprise, the male lion ended up learning the same lesson as the female just before him, but not before the rhino tried stabbing at it, twice! And only missing marginally both times!”

Also on FTW Outdoors: Abandoned baby elephant fends off lions with ‘brave’ ploy (video)

It was a close call, no doubt.

The first female followed the rhino as it wandered off, but any thoughts about her trying to attack where quickly dashed.

Photo courtesy of Latest Sightings.

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Watch: Elephant uses trunk to create mesmerizing ‘water show’

Footage shows the elephant using its powerful trunk to compress and spray water as a fine mist directed toward tourists.

A bull elephant in South Africa’s MalaMala Game Reserve used its powerful trunk recently to compress and spray water as a fine mist directed toward safari guests.

“This bull tricks us with a water show!” Ranger Gabriel Harmer exclaimed via Instagram. “It was absolutely amazing! A light mist spray on a warm afternoon drive. What better way to cool down than to get water sprayed on you by an Ellie!”

Harmer’s footage is posted below and best viewed with audio.

MalaMala Game Reserve also shared the footage under the title, “Mistifier.”

“Just shows you how strong their trunks are,” one viewer observed.

“He’s got skills,” another viewer chimed in.

MalaMala is a private reserve inside Sabi Sands Game Reserve and shares an unfenced border with Kruger National Park.

Lion-bumping incident in South Africa ‘dealt with at highest level’

Social media footage showing a motorist nudging a lion with his front bumper in Kruger National Park prompted a quick investigation.

A motorist who bumped a lion with his vehicle over the weekend, seemingly to clear the animal from a road in South Africa’s Kruger National Park, has apparently been disciplined.

A day earlier, after viewing the accompanying footage, SanParks promised the incident would be “dealt with at the highest level.”

The agency, however, has not provided details about the individual or possible disciplinary measures.

The footage, shared by Lion Lovers, shows the seemingly impatient motorist rolling into the startled lion from behind.

Lion Lovers tagged SanParks in its post – the vehicle’s license plate is visible in the footage – and several in the comments thread demanded that the motorist be banned from the park.

“Disgusting behavior,” one follower complained.

“Hard to watch,” another stated.

The incident occurred during a traffic jam caused by lions lounging on a highway. Lion jams typically attract tourists eager to view and photograph the animals, but most do so respectfully.

Kruger National Park is billed as the “flagship of the South African National Parks” and tourists are allowed on its roads as long as they remain in their vehicles.

Animals always have the right of way and motorists are required to exercise extreme caution. Any action that alters an animal’s behavior – such as bumping it with a vehicle – can be considered illegal harassment.

Impatient tourist bumps lion with vehicle; footage sparks outrage

The motorist appears to be nudging the startled lion to clear a prime observation spot in South Africa’s Kruger National Park.

Footage showing a motorist bumping into a lion in South Africa’s Kruger National Park has enraged social-media viewers.

“What a selfish inconsiderate idiot!” Lion Lovers exclaimed Friday via X, calling on the park to ban the motorist. “It’s a disgrace that people behave like this.”

The incident occurred during a traffic jam caused by lions walking on a highway. These “lion jams” typically attract crowds of tourists eager to view and photograph the animals – but usually in a respectable manner.

The footage, captured by Safraaz Suliman, shows the truck rolling toward and nudging the startled cat’s rear as if to clear a prime observation spot.

“Hard to watch. This driver should get a lifetime ban from any national park,” reads a comment beneath the Lion Lovers post.

“Disgusting behavior,” another viewer complained.

Kruger is billed as the “flagship of the South African National Parks” and tourists are allowed to tour the park in their own vehicles.

However, animals have the right of way and motorists are required to exercise extreme caution when in close proximity to wildlife. Any action that alters an animal’s behavior – such as bumping it with a vehicle – might be considered illegal harassment.

The Lion Lovers tweet tagged Kruger National Park, but at the time of this post it remained unclear if the park planned to investigate.

Can you spot the owl hiding in plain sight? One trait makes it tougher

Owls are often tough enough to spot because of incredible camouflage, but the pearl-spotted owlet is even tougher because of its size.

Owls are often tough enough to spot in the wild because of their incredible camouflage, but the pearl-spotted owlet is even more difficult to spot because of its size. It is one of the smallest owls in Africa.

Which makes this spotting by of a pearl-spotted owlet in South Africa’s Kruger National Park by Rodgerh Tsendze all the more remarkable.

Of course, as a supervisor at Kruger National Park, Tsendze no doubt has an eagle eye when it comes to wildlife compared to the average tourist.

Tsendze posted a photo of the pearl-spotted owlet on the private group Facebook page of SANParks – Kruger National Park and it got impressive reviews.

The pearl-spotted owlet stands 6 to 8 inches tall and gets its name from the pearl-like white spots above its shoulders. It has a rounded head with no ear-tufts.

“The pearl-spotted Owlet is active mainly at dusk and dawn, but also during daytime and occasionally on moonlit nights,” writes The Owl Pages. “Prefers to sing from exposed perches, often from the tops of bushes or trees.”

In this photo, the owl is sitting among the branches of a mopane tree, one of the most utilized trees found in Kruger National Park.

In case you did miss it, here is the reveal:

Funny, once you see where it is, you can’t unsee it.

Among the comments on Facebook:

“Beautiful, right in the middle of the tree hiding away.”

“So well camouflaged.”

“Great spotting!!”

“Such camouflage! Great shot.”

“Wow, so cute and what a camouflage!”

Photo courtesy of Rodgerh Tsendze.

Watch: Opportunistic hyenas overpower lion with savvy tactics

A lion separated from its pride in Kruger National Park was forced to defend a meal by itself when a pack of hyenas happened onto the scene.

A female lion separated from its pride in Kruger National Park was forced to defend its meal by itself when a pack of hyenas happened onto the scene.

Benji Solms, a ranger from Serondella Safari Lodge in the iconic South African park, captured video of the encounter and shared it was LatestSightings.

“The hyenas arrived in numbers, but [they] didn’t frighten the lioness at all; it only angered her!” LatestSightings reported. “The hyena clan assessed the situation, but it just took a few seconds for the lioness to charge at them as fast as she could!

“The hyenas scattered, and for good reason. After chasing them, the lioness circled back to her bush [where the meal was stashed]. At this point, the hyenas realized that the lioness was all alone, and they ventured in closer.

“The lioness was badly outnumbered, but she still fought on, charging at them a few more times and coming within inches of grabbing one in the process. Hyenas are very tactically savvy, however, and it was only a matter of time before they overpowered her.”

The lion, after getting bitten a few times, opted to switch from fight to flight, as she was forced the escape.

Can you spot the hunting lion? Two waterbucks didn’t but got lucky

Wildlife photographer Henri Olckers had been taking photos of two lions when he noticed two waterbucks, and suddenly the lions disappeared.

A pair of lionesses were relaxing in a riverbed in Kruger National Park in South Africa when two waterbucks came walking by, sending the lions into stealth mode.

Wildlife photographer Henri Olckers had been taking photos of the lions when he noticed the prey, and suddenly the lions disappeared.

“We lost sight of them when they got to the reeds so we focused on the waterbuck, waiting for the hunt,” Olckers told USA Today/For The Win Outdoors. “After zooming in, I saw one lioness, looking intently at the waterbuck cow.”

Olckers snapped a photo of that hidden lion peering through the reeds and posted it on Facebook.

No wonder the waterbucks didn’t see the lions, as they can be very stealthy when it comes to catching dinner.

A closer image reveals the eye of the lion.

Fortunately for the waterbucks, they apparently saw the lions in the nick of time.

“The lionesses did make an attempt at a hunt a few seconds later but unfortunately missed,” Olckers said. “They walked back to the sandy island in the middle of the river and laid down in the shade again.”

Photos courtesy of Henri Olckers Wildlife Photography.

Buffalo literally in spotlight while saving ‘friend’ from lion attack

Dramatic footage shows the precise moment that an African buffalo rushed in to save another buffalo from a lion attack.

Dramatic footage shared Thursday shows the compelling moment that an African buffalo rushed in to save another buffalo from a savage lion attack.

As viewers can see, the male lion has one buffalo by the throat in what appears to be a death grip until another buffalo rushes in to scatter the pride and force the male lion to release its grip and flee.

As the hero buffalo enters frame, a spotlight, presumably from a safari vehicle, shines on the rescue and both buffaloes. The massive bovines remain stationary and perhaps stunned briefly before wandering off.

The footage was shared by Latest Sightings, which features content captured in South Africa’s Kruger National Park, and credited to Sara Zegut.

The video description: “Buffalo risks it all to save friend from lion’s death grip!”