A lone male lion lounging on the warm tarmac of a small runway in the Sabi Sands Nature Reserve inside the famous Kruger National Park didn’t sense trouble approaching until it was too late.
Peter Forsyth, a field guide who captured video of the unique encounter, shared details with LatestSightings.com.
“We were tracking lions based on audio cues when we came across a lone lion,” Forsyth told LatestSightings. “To our surprise, it wasn’t one of the dominant coalition males ruling the area. We knew that the roars of this solitary lion would inevitably attract trouble.”
After 20 minutes of observing the lone lion, the two dominant males of the area suddenly appeared and stealthily made their way toward the intruding lion.
From LatestSightings:
At one point, he even glanced their way, and the two males were right there. But he failed to notice them, showing just how stealthy and cautious they had been.
The coalition males focused on asserting their dominance, engaged in a brief and intense skirmish. Rather than intending to kill the lone male, their display was a means to establish dominance. They roared to make their statement, letting the solitary lion know who is in charge.
“The battle was brief but intense, with each lion weighing in close to 400 pounds and going at each other,” Forsyth told LatestSightings. “It was an exciting yet intimidating feeling to be that close to so much power.
“For me, it was a heart-pounding experience. In my six years in the area, I had never witnessed lions fighting like this before. It was truly an adrenaline rush.”
Photo courtesy of Peter Forsyth via LatestSightings.