“We were up at the crack of dawn and headed for the camp gates at Berg en Dal. Being first at the gate is always an exciting feeling; the anticipation of what one may find is the best part! We decided to turn right onto the dirt road just outside of camp and headed in the direction of the Matjulu waterhole.”
“As we approached the waterhole, something caught our attention—it was the constant calling of hyenas! The calls were echoing off the mountains that surround the waterhole. We knew that this definitely meant something was going on. As we arrived at the waterhole, we found what all the fuss had been about.”
“Seven hyenas were frantically calling and trying to alert the rest of their clan to the six lions about to make a buffalo kill. The lions had, at this point, already crippled the big bull. Their tactic was simple; they had weakened the buffalo’s back and leg, dropping him to his knees.”
Old buffalo bulls, also known as Dagga boys, can often be found all by themselves. This puts them at a disadvantage when it comes to predators, as there is more protection in numbers. This is a sad lifestyle they’re forced into when they can no longer keep up with the herd. They always like to have a good supply of water, and they’re frequent visitors to the Matjulu Waterhole.
“Despite having six lions on his back and crippled hind legs, the old buffalo bull did not for a moment give up. He fought for close to 2 hours with everything he had to escape. As time passed, he got weaker, and his last hope of salvation was trying to get into the waterhole, which may force the lions to back off due to their dislike of getting wet.”
“He dug deep, and with his fleeting bits of energy, he was able to move a few meters closer. With his nose now inches from the water’s edge, he could do not much more aside from prolonging the inevitable. He plucked up the courage and entered the water! The lions let go, and for a moment he thought he was free.”
“As for the lions, they had exerted all this energy, and they were not going to let it all go to waste because of a little water. So, they clawed at the backend of the buffalo from the dry land until the big male took charge and went into the water. He took a hold of the buffalo by its throat and suffocated it, dealing the final blow.”
