Jordan, who was exploring the Northern Sabi Sands near Buffelshoek, stumbled upon the rare sighting while tracking the Mantimahle males, a pair of formidable lions descended from the legendary Mapogo coalition. These lions had crossed into the area from the Manyeleti Game Reserve, and Jordan and his companions were keen to follow their movements.
‘We tracked those lions and were busy following them, doing a loop around to get ahead of them,’ Jordan explained. As they observed the lions’ stealthy movements through the bushes, something unexpected caught their attention. ‘We actually stumbled upon that dead hippo and hyenas feeding on it just by chance,’ he recounted.
Three hyenas were busy scavenging on the hippo carcass, oblivious to the danger lurking nearby. The Mantimahle males, with their keen instincts and unrivalled strength, seized the opportunity to ambush the hyenas. The lions’ stealth and speed were unmatched, and before the hyenas could react, the lions were upon them.
One hyena managed to escape the deadly ambush, but the other two were not as fortunate. ‘The lions didn’t even think twice before killing two of the hyenas and claiming their prize,” Jordan noted, describing the encounter as “a true display of brute strength.’
Hyenas, known more for their scavenging habits than for hunting large prey like hippos, likely stumbled upon the already dead animal or were possibly feeding on a kill made by another predator. Although hyenas and lions often compete for food, the lions’ superior strength and size usually give them the upper hand in these confrontations.
After dispatching the hyenas, the Mantimahle males turned their attention to the hippo carcass, enjoying the ample feast laid out before them. The combination of a massive hippo and two hyenas was more than enough to satisfy the hunger of these powerful predators, leaving them to relish their hard-earned meal.
Watch the encounter in the video below:
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