My World Earth: Tourists left stunned as lioness attacks buffalo

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Tourists left stunned as lioness attacks buffalo - right in the middle of a traffic jam

This stunning series of pictures shows the moment a water buffalo becomes a road-hog.

But the tourists driving through Kruger National Park in South Africa could hardly blame the poor creature, who was more concerned with the tail-gating lioness than other traffic on the road.

The convoy of cars came to a halt to watch - but the passengers then found themselves part of the action as the two beasts lumbered on to the road, oblivious to their gaze.

The dramatic action at the Kruger National Park, in South Africa, was captured on film by tourist Muhammed Patel.

The 24-year-old business owner arrived at the scene just moments after the battle began at 10am that day.

He said: 'It was just like watching a wildlife documentary unfold before your very eyes, except this time we were in it too.

'They were just feet from the cars, but neither of them seemed to notice the people, they were just determined to fight each other.

'I have never seen a lioness so determined to kill this bull even though she was all alone, and the cheeky pride male was just watching from the grass.

'Eyewitness accounts of events earlier that morning indicate their were approximately six female and two male lions at around 7am stalking a herd of buffalo.

'Apparently this buffalo bull had been targeted and isolated and then attacked by the six lionesses, but he managed to overpower them all.

'All six were injured by the raging bull and lions were being flung around for fun.

'Except this girl clearly hadn't taken the hint and was still trying to bring him down, both of them looked exhausted and they were both injured.

'There must have been three separate attacks by the lioness while we were there and the whole thing lasted for seven hours, we just didn't want to leave them.'
The drama unfolded on the Orpen Road which is the main route through the world famous park.

Muhammed, who was holidaying at the park with his family, said: 'We were at the scene til around 5:30pm as we had to head back to camp where we were spending the night.

'We sacrificed our hunger and thirst as we knew this was a great opportunity to witness an attack and would not for one second leave the scene.

'I have seen leopard and cheetah hunting but not a lion, and never anything this close up.

'I felt sorry for the buffalo as it was injured by the morning attack but was excited to see how nature works at its best.

'There were three attacks that occurred while we there, it was like an attack would happen and then they would get tired and it seemed to us mutually agree to have a break before another attack took place.

'There was a male that appeared when the first attack took place but he just sat back and watched while the lioness battled away.

'At the time we left the buffalo had still survived but went down an embankment into a valley covered in long grass and thick bush.

'There were no sightings the next morning, but I'd like to think the bull got away.'