Survival Dilemma: Unlucky Lion Faces Dual Buffalo Threat, Chooses Tree Defense – Wise Move or Not?

26-year-old Victoria Craddock and 27-year-old Chad Hobson had the marvellous opportunity to not only witness but film this entire interaction.

A frightened lion surrounded by stampeding buffaloes.

“The MalaMala Game Reserve offers exceptional game viewing. During this guest stay, we had incredible lion sightings, so the opportunity to discover something a bit different was genuinely enjoyable. A substantial herd of bison.”

Relaxing lions in the shade

“When we arrived, there were also lions in the distance, but they were cognizant of the buffalo herd. In the previous 48 hours, this group of lions had killed two subadult bison, so I had little hope that they would hunt once more. The fact that it was an exceptionally sweltering day diminished the likelihood of interaction. However, the possibility of a lion-buffalo encounter is always intriguing.”

“A herd of more than one hundred buffaloes arrived at the dam; the lighting was spectacular as they stirred up dust and wallowed in the murky water. After quenching their thirst, the livestock moved eastward. Unbeknownst to us, the lions had spotted a separate herd of bison approaching the same dam.”

A frightened lion juvenile was trampled by buffaloes. Download the Latest Sightings app today to share your observations of wildlife.

The lion pup swatted the buffalo.

“The lions became restless and pursued the second herd, causing chaos. As the lions pursued the second herd, the second herd retaliated by pursuing the lions into a deserted riverbed where the first herd remained. The first herd was also dissatisfied with the lions’ presence and began to pursue them.

— WATCH —

“The lions were caught between two hostile herds of bison. At this juncture, one young male decided on the spur of the moment to climb a russet bushwillow. This was a foolish action, as the bison were now enraged. The tree he ascended was insufficiently large. He maneuvered to stay out of reach of the flailing horns. The buffaloes remained at the tree’s base for nearly an hour, sniffing and thrashing at the feet of the juvenile lion.

The lion was pursued by bison.

“Eventually, the intensity of the observation reached a plateau. The juvenile male descended just as the persistent buffalo became distracted by the other lions. He rejoined the pride with his tail between his legs and a look of relief on his face.