The video at the bottom of the page was taken at Serengeti National Park in northcentral Tanzania. It demonstrates the tenacity of even young warthogs and the way male lions team up to ensure a kill.
Are Solo Male Lions Good Hunters?
Although female lions are known as being the primary hunters, male lions are also skilled hunters. Since they engage in hunting alone and can’t lean on the strength of their pride, they use different tactics. When in the savanna, they rely on vegetation to conceal them while they stalk and eventually ambush their prey.
Aside from concealing themselves from their prey, they also employ the element of surprise. They may not be able to take down large prey the way a pride would, but they are strong animals with powerful bites and can certainly take down smaller prey to keep themselves satiated.
How Do Warthogs Protect Their Young?
Warthogs typically use their burrows to protect their young. They let their young huddle into the burrow first and the female warthog takes the last spot toward the opening to serve as a barrier between her young and any potential predators.
However, they only keep their young with them for just over 20 weeks, at which point warthogs have to learn how to keep themselves safe. When grown, warthogs have tusks that they can use to defend themselves. Unlike their predators, they don’t hunt other animals. They’re herbivores that feast on vegetation and berries.
©Samuel Holland/Shutterstock.com
Brother Lions Gang Up On Baby Warthog
When the video below starts, there are two male lions in view. The captions let you know that they’ve spotted a warthog family. One of the lions is more interested than the other and picks up the pace to approach them. The other lion falls back, watching the scene unfold.
The camera follows the first male lion as he ups the speed even more and runs toward his targets. Several warthogs come into view, all running in different directions, trying to get away from the lion. A few larger warthogs manage to get away, leaving trails of dust in their wake but the lion sets its eyes on one of the smallest of the bunch.
The baby warthog looks like a rodent in comparison to the male lion that’s chasing it. Despite its size, the baby warthog manages to get away from the focused lion. It runs erratically, changing directions abruptly and going in circles. It seems the male lion is getting dizzy with so much spinning and his brother comes in to help.
The male lion is on the warthog’s tail but doesn’t manage to grab it. As soon as his brother approaches, however, they both take it down and you can hear the disappointed moaning of the spectators behind the camera, knowing the baby warthog is done for.
©Keith 316/Shutterstock.com
The post Watch a Lion Launch an Attack on a Frisky Warthog and Call in His Brother for Reinforcements appeared first on AZ Animals.
from Animal News, Facts, Rankings, and More! - AZ Animals https://ift.tt/OiLF15r