Three male lions confronted and attacked a younger male lion in a recent video taken in Kruger National Park in a classic battle royale.
In the video taken by owner of South Post Lodge, Steyn Jacobsohn in the Mjejane Game Reserve, the young lion can be seen lying in the sun, when three dominant males find him and start a fight. A nearby herd of elephant disturb the fight, chasing the older lions away. But they return, and the fight takes a turn for the worse as he gets badly injured.
Afterward, a curious hippo comes out of the water to investigate, but the lion is so badly inured it barely moves.
‘The fight lasted a whole of almost three hours as the three adult males kept returning to the injured and tired young male, biting and clawing at him. The elephants and hippos attempted to chase the three male lions away each time they returned, almost as if they were protecting the young male from a fatal end. Unfortunately, fate was not in the young males’ favor as the adult males returned one last time, finished the job, and then left for good,’ Jacobsohn told Latest Sightings.
‘The young male lion was left badly injured, with a broken back and later succumbed to its injuries. He then became a meal for vultures who later joined the scene,’ he added.
Watch the battle unfold:
It’s not unusual for lions to fight other lions for either food, females or territory. As is evident, they often fight to the death.
Image credit: Screenshot/Steyn Jacobsohn
