Predation upon large animals by lions is an important ecological issue in certain parts of Africa. It requires greater understanding.
Lions are amongst the most capable predators of large herbivores.
Macropredation in lions is an important issue with ecological bearings.
Lions prey upon several big animals.
The first example that comes
to mind is that of buffalo. The Cape Buffalo is considered by many to
be amongst the most dangerous animals in the African bush and yet lions
in many parts of Africa routinely prey upon these one-tonne animals.
The modus operandi is to encircle the formidable herd and try and
isolate vulnerable individuals. Next the big cats proceed to force
their prey into an organized trap laid out for them. Each individual
lioness plays a specific role in the hunt, often consistent throughout
the animal's lifetime. Still it's never easy to bring down the buffalo
and despite the help of male lions, it's still quite a risky
undertaking for the predator. The islands of Okavango, Botswana bear
witness to the perish of many a lions at the hoofs and horns of the
formidable buffalo.
And this is not all. Lions in Etosha National
Park in Namibia have been observed hunting black rhinos. There are
reports of hippo kills from certain parts of Africa and even video
recordings of lions actively hunting calves and adults of elephants in
Savuti, north Botswana. What drives these great cats to hunt such
mammoth creatures? Is it simply depletion of their natural prey in that
locality, or is it something more sinister... for many believe that
like the buffalo-killing lions of Duba Plains in Okavango, these Savuti
Lions have become specialists at tackling their huge foes. Certainly a
very interesting and disturbing trend, one that requires further study
and understanding.
Borne out of necessity or desire -
macropredation is definitely an established trend in certain
populations of African Lions. And it is already demonstrating
biological effects. What impact will that have on those grasslands and
individual population groups of various species in the long run,
remains to be seen.
