A lion on his morning stroll almost walks right past a wildebeest sleeping in some bushes, but, in the last moment, it picks up its scent and the rest is history… ?
Manja Kema, a safari guide at Maswa Game Reserve, filmed this epic wildlife interaction and shared it with Latest Sightings.
It was a typical sunrise safari in the Serengeti. Manja and his guests spotted a young wildebeest napping in the long grass. It was all alone, with the rest of the herd nowhere to be seen.
After spending some time with the wildebeest, Manja noticed something heading their way from the far distance. It was hard to make out at first, but Manja was quite sure that it was one of the resident male lions on his morning patrol, heading right toward them and the sleepy wildebeest!
Male lions often patrol their territories to ensure their family’s safety and to scent mark their boundaries, which lets other lions know the space is occupied. For the wildebeest, it just so happened to choose the worst possible spot to take a morning nap.
The lion approached nearer and nearer, and the excitement grew with each of his steps. He was just meters away from the wildebeest now, but he still had no idea because of the long grass.
Then something changed! The lion’s trot quickly turned into a slow-paced stalk. He picked up a scent in the air and instantly shifted into hunt mode. There was no threat here, only a meal, and he knew it was close.
As the lion followed the scent trail, the wildebeest was still, unbelievably, unaware. Like a scene from a movie, the lion paused almost directly above the calf. He sniffed a few times, the scent was really strong now, almost as if he could taste it.
Finally, the wildebeest realized something was off, but it was much too late. The calf had been perfectly still until it sensed the danger right in front of it. Then, for some reason, it decided to shake its head—perhaps to scare the lion off. Whatever the intention, it didn’t work, it only alerted the lion to its exact location.
The lion didn’t even hesitate for a second, instantly pouncing on the wildebeest as it tried to make a run for it. It didn’t take much for the big male lion to bring it down, then, he went straight for the wildebeest’s throat.
The struggle caught the attention of the lion’s brother, who was out on patrol with him. He came running in quickly, and the two brothers enjoyed an easy meal together.
