Zambia A lone Nile crocodile sunning on dry land becomes the target of attack by lionesses in Kafue National Park.
The crocodile was defeated by the lions' overwhelming numbers. Video : Muhammad Mulla
In the aquatic environment of Africa, Nile crocodiles are one of the most feared predators. However, when on land, they are no longer at the top of the food chain, especially if there is a hungry pride of lions nearby. Wildlife photographer Muhammad Mulla captured the moment a crocodile was caught off guard and defeated by lions in the Busanga grasslands of Zambia in mid-September. In the video Mulla shared on his Instagram page Nature is Metal, the pride of lionesses coordinated to take down the crocodile, Yahoo reported on September 23.
In the video, at least a dozen lionesses wandered around the barren plains, looking for food. About half were adults, the rest were cubs. Mulla quickly noticed that the pride had focused on a crocodile lying in the middle of a large mudflat. Several larger lionesses sidled around the crocodile until one of them tapped its snout with its claws.
The crocodile leaped out of the mud and tried to bite the lion. But the lionesses, with their advantage in numbers, continued to surround the crocodile, continuously hitting and biting all over its body as it circled in self-defense. Eventually, a large female lion (wearing a tracking collar and seemingly the leader) grabbed the crocodile by the tail and dragged it across the grass. She continued to wrestle the crocodile while her companions walked around to distract the prey. The process of wearing down the crocodile was slow. Finally, the lionesses got on top of the crocodile so the collared female could deliver a fatal bite, immobilizing it.
According to Nature is Metal, cold-blooded crocodiles must occasionally leave the river water to warm up and sun themselves on dry land. When they do, they are vulnerable to attack by nearby predators. African lions (Panthera leo) are distributed mainly in the sub-Saharan Africa region. This is the only cat species in the world that lives in prides. Female lions are the main hunters, preying on antelopes, zebras, wildebeests and some other animals. Male lions protect the territory of the whole pride.
Kafue National Park, where Mulla filmed the video, covers nearly 36,260 square kilometers. It is the second largest national park in the world and is home to nearly 160 species of mammals, including a population of nearly 200 lions. The Kafue River, which cuts through the park, is also famous for its giant Nile crocodiles.
An Khang (According to Yahoo )
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