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Category: Wildlife

Wildlife

  • Leopard Mom Sacrifices Herself To Protect Her Cubs

    Godliving knew of a leopard denning in the area and thought it would be a great time to try and spot her.

    Much before long, that’s exactly what happened! The leopard mom was in sight, and as a huge bonus, there was visibility on her two babies as well!

    This was a precious moment, but it was quickly overshadowed for everyone, by a feeling that something was off. The leopard was outside of her den, and there was a sense of paranoia; overall, she seemed very uncomfortable.

    Carol explains; “The leopard was outside her den when my husband spotted a lioness crouched just a few meters away, watching intently in the same general direction. We initially thought two separate events were unfolding — the leopard and her cubs, and the lioness watching the wildebeest in the distance. But as she crept forward, we realized she was actually focused on the leopards!”
    The lion crept up to striking distance, and it was all or nothing for the leopard. Being considerably smaller, the leopard was at a massive disadvantage, but with everything to lose and the instincts of a mother, she stood her ground with amazing courage!

    Without a second thought, the lion leaped in to engage the leopard! The rest of the lion pride was just around the corner from the scene, but the lioness was feeling so confident, that she didn’t bother with waiting for backup! A choice that she would with no doubt, end up regretting!

    The leopard jumped to meet the lioness back, and the pair locked into a grapple as they hit the ground. Once again, the lion was at an upper hand, as she landed on top, but to describe the little leopard as being ferocious, would be subtle!
    The leopard kicked, bit, and tore at the underside of the lion with serious intent. It was almost overbearing, and it took the lioness by surprise! With limited options, the lion decided to bite at one of the leopard’s back feet, but it wasn’t enough!
    With so much happening in the footage, it was tricky to see exactly how she did it, but the leopard managed to latch onto the lion’s leg and target a soft spot. The lion’s reaction made it clear how much it hurt, as she jumped away from the leopard and held out her paw like an injured puppy!

    This was the moment the leopard realized she might have just saved her babies’ lives! The last thing on the lion’s mind now would be the den site, and the chaos of the situation would likely distract the rest of the pride as well.

    So, with the lion backed off, and her cubs given enough time to hide, the leopard took the opportunity to escape to a nearby tree. The rest of the lions arrived shortly after, and together they tried climbing up to the leopard, but just couldn’t make it to her.

    Luck finally came for the leopard when one of the lions caught a nearby wildebeest from the herd seen earlier. With food now on the table, the lions quickly grew bored of the leopard, and she was able to get to her babies, who were completely unharmed!
    Situations like this end with a very sad story most of the time, but this was just not that day. It took more than a small miracle, but the leopard never gave up, and she did what it took to save her babies!

  • Dogs Encounter Crocodiles While Swimming in the Lake

    In this thrilling video, we follow dogs as they enjoy a swim in the lake, only to encounter crocodiles. Witness the unexpected interactions and learn how these brave dogs navigate their aquatic environment. Join us for an exciting look at nature’s surprises and the importance of being aware of wildlife!

  • Rhino Fight At Male Lion With Its Horn

    Jordan Davidson has guided many safaris in the bush

    Lions are known to rest and relax during the middle of the day, and this day was no different for three big, and beautiful young lions. There were two females and a male specifically, and they’re all believed to be around five years old.

    Everything seemed to be in place for another typical, fantastic, lion sighting. However, this time would prove to be more fruitful…

    A rhino came strolling into the picture, looking for some fresh grass to graze on. Nothing had happened but just the rhino’s sheer size, and the presence of the two species being together, made it all so exciting.

    Lions have a strong understanding of their limitations, and even for the three of them together, taking on a large white rhino would be a massive risk. Everyone on the safari could see this too, so, even with all the excitement, there wasn’t really any expectation of something more happening.

    That was until the rhino walked right up to where the lions were relaxing! Rhinos don’t have the best eyesight, so it likely couldn’t see anything from far out, but the lions’ smell was suspicious for the rhino, so it kept investigating.

    Eventually, the rhino was so close that it made one of the lionesses uncomfortable! She ran off and for good reason, the rhino could see clearly now and already had a defensive stance.

    The second lioness had more of an opportunistic eye, as the rhino was chasing her sister away, she went into a pouncing position and waited for her shot. She didn’t have to wait long, as the rhino quickly decided that it would be best to make a U-turn and head the other way.

    After launching for the rhino’s rump, it didn’t even take a second for the lioness to realize that she was in over her head. She immediately let go and abandoned ship, all the while, the now very grumpy rhino was turning around to face them.

    With both lionesses out of the picture, the only thing that stood in the rhino’s way was the poor male lion! Having a stare down with an animal that is bigger than some family-sized cars can only be daunting, but amazingly the lion’s first instinct wasn’t to run!

    No, the lion walked right up to the rhino to meet it head-on! This was unquestionably brave, but considering just how long the rhino’s horn was, it didn’t seem like the greatest of ideas.
    Without much surprise, the male lion ended up learning the same lesson as the female just before him, but not before the rhino tried stabbing at it, twice! And only missing marginally both times!

    Realizing how lucky he was, the lion bolted away into the bushes, and the rhino took the chance to run the other way, bringing one of the wildest lion and rhino interactions that we’ve seen to an end.

  • Blind Leopard with Balls of Steel Tries Taking from 10+ Monster Crocs

    Stefan Cruysberghs, was on an early-morning safari in South Luangwa

    There were so many crocs that it was hard to see what they were eating, but they spent some time and managed to identify the prey as being a puku antelope. Seeing that this was playing out on land, it was assumed that another predator had caught and abandoned the puku.

    The more time they spent at the sighting, the more crocodiles appeared from the river. Watching just how many crocs were attracted to the smell was fascinating. It was almost an endless supply!

    A Nile crocodile can eat over 50% of its body weight in a single meal. On average, your typical puku weighs a lot less than that. Meaning that there really wasn’t enough food to go around here, and all the crocodiles were likely very grumpy because of it!

    There was so much going on here that it was almost too much to process when a leopard suddenly came strolling in from the bushes. Who would have thought about another predator being around?

    It was a huge surprise for everyone at first, but then it was assumed that the leopard had originally caught the puku and was forced to abandon it. Now, it returned only to find that it had been claimed by a bask of crocodiles.

    That would normally be the end of the story. After all, when crocodiles steal your meal, there really isn’t anything that can be done about that. However, this leopard wouldn’t have it! If it was going to lose its food, it wasn’t losing everything.

    The leopard zigged and zagged its way through the pile of crocodile bodies, just looking for a gap to squeeze in. It even had to dodge a couple of snaps, but that wasn’t enough to deter it.

    It did end up finding the space it was looking for, and it was now basically mouth-to-mouth with one of the bigger crocodiles! Just desperately tugging and pulling away, trying and nab a piece.

    Not being able to get a decent share, the leopard became frustrated, so, when another crocodile decided to try and get involved, the leopard slapped it on the nose!
    The leopard only managed to get two small chunks of the puku, before having to walk away. It certainly wasn’t worth all the risk it took in the end, but it was so incredible to see!

  • Lions Put on a Hot Show for Buffaloes

    Buffaloes Burned: Lions Deliver a Scorching Performance on the Savanna

    The African savanna is a stage for life, death, and breathtaking drama. And yesterday, the lions of the pride known as the “Sunset Strikers” delivered a performance worthy of a standing ovation (if only the audience weren’t mostly terrified herbivores). They put on a hot show, quite literally, leaving a trail of dust and devastation in their wake for a herd of buffalo unlucky enough to cross their path.

    Forget lazy afternoon naps in the shade. This wasn’t your typical lion day. From the early morning roars reverberating across the plains, a sense of urgency hung in the air. The Sunset Strikers were hungry, and they were on a mission.

    The buffalo, a massive herd numbering in the hundreds, lumbered along, their usual confidence betrayed by a nervous energy. They knew the territory, and they knew the risks. But even a large herd of powerful animals can’t always outsmart a coordinated and determined pride of lions.

    The Chase: A Symphony of Strength and Strategy

    The initial encounter was a masterclass in predatory strategy. The lionesses, masters of stealth and deception, expertly flanked the herd, cutting off escape routes and creating chaos. The buffalo, panicked, scattered, their thunderous hooves churning the dry earth into dust clouds.

    The lions, however, remained focused. They targeted the vulnerable: the young, the old, and the weak. The chase was a blur of tawny fur and muscle, a test of endurance and agility under the scorching African sun.

    The Kill: A Brutal Reminder of Nature’s Law

    The pursuit culminated in a dramatic showdown. After a grueling chase, the lions brought down a young buffalo, its desperate cries echoing across the savanna. The power of the pride was on full display as they worked together to subdue their prey, a stark reminder of the brutal reality of nature’s food chain.

    While the sight of such a hunt might be unsettling to some, it’s a vital part of the ecosystem. The lions keep the buffalo population in check, preventing overgrazing and ensuring the health of the savanna.

  • Hungry Alligator Eats Iguana for Lunch

  • Angry Hippo Chases and Bites Vehicle

    Katherine Gilson with Steve and Richard Teichmann, along with some close friends, were out on an incredible safari trip in Manyoni Private Game Reserve. Little did they know about the wild ride they were about to be in for!

    Their experienced guide, Sandiso, continued with the safari, which brought them to a road that went through a riverbed. They carried on and eventually wrapped around a blind corner to find something very unexpected.

    There was a hippo standing right in the middle of the road, and it was at least 95°F (35°C)! Although hippos feed almost entirely on grass, their skin is very sensitive to the sun, so they eat under the protection of night. Seeing a hippo out during the heat of the day is very unusual!
    To make the situation trickier, the hippo was recognized as one of the larger bulls in the area, known to be on the grumpier side. Sandiso could also tell by the hippo’s behavior that it was in no mood for company!

    So, while everyone was admiring the strange sighting, Sandiso was thinking ahead and started planning a way out. The hippo kept on approaching, and Sandiso knew that he had to put his exit plan into place.

    The first course of action was to reverse slowly. But for the hippo, this wasn’t enough, and the bull broke out into a full-blown charge toward the car. All just a couple of seconds after they had started moving!

    The chase was on, but Sandiso was once again, one step ahead! As the hippo lunged, Sandiso had to hit the gas. Luckily, the route was already mapped out, but Sandiso had to show a downright impressive amount of composure to follow through!

    To make matters more stressful, the vehicle was quickly closing in on a junction! Put simply, they were running out of room to reverse! And the hippo was now right on their bonnet. Sandiso was left with no choice; he had to take the corner, and he did it with incredible precision!

    While navigating the corner, in reverse… The hippo was still chasing! At this point, its mouth was almost covering the tracker seat. Luckily, the seat wasn’t occupied, but the charging hippo was still way too close for comfort! Amazingly, Sandiso still managed to keep the vehicle swinging out of harm’s way.

    It seemed that even the hippo was surprised by the ranger’s driving skills, and it stopped dead in its tracks. The hippo then watched as the vehicle slowly continued reversing, as if the grumpy bull was too stunned to continue charging.

    The reaction from everyone in the vehicle in the aftermath said it all: a brief moment of silence, followed by lots of nervous giggles and a very quiet Sandiso in the driver’s seat. It’s safe to say that no one there will ever be forgetting this encounter.

    Thanks to experience and composure, everything ended in what probably is the best way possible. The hippo moved on safely, the vehicle was unharmed, and most importantly, everyone in the vehicle was completely alright.

    At a time when many of us will be traveling to the bush for our end-of-year holidays, this serves as a reminder of just how cautious we need to be. The wild is truly wild!

  • Ranger Regrets Laughing at Rhino When it Charges Him

    Tervin Mdluli is a long-time safari professional, and on a dry morning, he knew exactly what to do to find the big game for his guests. However, what they were about to see was more than what Tervin could have bargained for.
    Tervin explains: “We hadn’t had any rain for a while, but it was still a stunning morning in Greater Kruger. Because it was so dry, I focused on the few waterholes that still had water, and we found some fresh elephant tracks on the way.”

    “Lo and behold, the elephants were there when we arrived at the waterhole. Some elephants were still making their way, others were drinking, and some were even inside the waterhole.” It was a stunning sighting, no doubt, but then Tervin noticed something else, between the elephants.
    “There was a big rhino bull making his way in the direction of the herd! Male rhinos are known to be territorial, and they also don’t have the best vision, so we kept our distance as usual. But we were excited to see what was going to happen!”

    “This was a breeding herd of elephants, and there were no big bulls around. However, as it happened, the rhino was walking right toward the young males at the end of the herd. One of the elephants, maybe in his very early twenties, stood up to the challenge…”

    It was a standoff between titans, and the loser would be the first to back down, which didn’t take long for that to happen! It was maybe a few seconds, and the elephant made the “crucial mistake” of stepping back, and that’s when the rhino gained its confidence.

    The rhino charged in, nudging its head up and down, while the elephants panicked and moved back. But that wasn’t enough for the rhino, who continued pushing them away. The elephant that initially challenged had now retreated all the way into the bushes, and yet the rhino still wasn’t satisfied!
    Eventually, the rhino had completely cleared the road of all the elephants, which was very amusing to watch! There were no massive elephants here, but this rhino was still batting way above its weight class, and it was amazing to see.

    However, since the rhino had cleared out all his elephant targets, he decided to turn his attention to the safari vehicle! Everyone was still giggling about the sighting, but those giggles quickly turned into nervous laughter!
    Tervin had always prioritized safety, so they had plenty of room to reverse away. A good reminder for all of us who visit the bush to do the same. Once the rhino cooled off, Tervin could finally process what he had just seen, a sighting he will no doubt, remember forever!

  • Squirrel Shows Leopard Who’s Boss

    Piet Van Wyk is the head ranger at MalaMala Private Game Reserve, he was on safari when he spotted the daughter of a well-known leopardess in a tree, but he didn’t spot the squirrel that would soon be annoying her!

    This leopard is quickly growing to be as loved as her mother, the Sibuye female, and everyone was excited when they found her in an Apple-Leaf Tree. They hadn’t been at the sighting long when something caught the curious cat’s attention.

    Turns out, the young leopard was sharing a tree with a squirrel all along! As soon as the leopard realized, it triggered something and the fun and games began.

    Being about 100 times smaller, it would be safe to assume that the squirrel would make a dash for it, but no! Not this squirrel, it wanted to have some fun first! It waited for the leopard at the bottom of the trunk, and as soon as the leopard came near, the squirrel shot back up the tree!

    Up and down, and around they went. It was like this squirrel had something to prove, or maybe just the heart of a lion! At one point, the leopard was so confused that it completely lost the squirrel, who was dead still, right in front of her face.

    Then, with a slight movement, the leopard found it again, and the games were back on! The squirrel had the poor leopard running from the tip of the tree all the way to the ground again, but each time, it never gave up!

    This lasted for about five minutes, and eventually, it was the squirrel that darted into the bushes. Maybe it became too tired or just had enough of messing around. The leopard was still determined and ran after it into the bushes, but never ended up catching it.

  • Welcome to Snake Island | Brazil

    Welcome to Snake Island: A Brazilian Paradise You Can’t Visit
    Imagine a tropical island paradise, shrouded in mist, teeming with lush rainforest, and ringed by pristine beaches. Sounds idyllic, right? Now imagine that paradise is inhabited by an estimated 2,000-4,000 golden lancehead vipers, making it one of the most dangerous places on Earth. Welcome to Ilha da Queimada Grande, better known as Snake Island, a Brazilian island so perilous that the Brazilian Navy prohibits anyone from landing there.

    Located about 90 miles off the coast of São Paulo, Snake Island isn’t a mythical creature of legend. It’s a very real place with a fascinating, albeit chilling, history and ecology. Separated from the mainland thousands of years ago, the island’s snake population thrived and adapted in isolation. With no natural land-based predators, the golden lancehead, a highly venomous pit viper, became the dominant species.

    The Golden Lancehead: Evolution’s Masterpiece of Fear

    The golden lancehead (Bothrops insularis) is truly unique. Its venom is estimated to be five times more potent than that of its mainland relatives, capable of causing rapid tissue necrosis, internal bleeding, and even death. This potent venom is believed to be an adaptation to hunting birds, the snakes’ primary food source on the island.

    The island’s name comes from the shape of the snake’s head, resembling a lance blade. But it’s not just their venom that’s terrifying. Their sheer abundance is staggering. Experts estimate that there can be anywhere from one to five snakes per square meter in certain areas on the island. Stepping off the boat would be a literal gamble with your life.

    A History Enshrouded in Mystery and Tragedy

    Unsurprisingly, Snake Island has attracted explorers and treasure hunters over the centuries, lured by tales of hidden gold. However, the island’s deadly inhabitants have thwarted most attempts, often with fatal consequences. Local legends abound, including stories of entire families being wiped out by snakes after venturing onto the island.

    One particularly chilling tale recounts the fate of a lighthouse keeper and his family stationed on the island in the early 20th century. According to the story, the snakes managed to enter their residence through the windows, leading to their gruesome demise. This incident likely contributed to the automation of the lighthouse, which now operates remotely and is monitored by the Brazilian Navy.

    Why is it Off-Limits?

    The Brazilian government strictly controls access to Snake Island for several reasons. Firstly, and most obviously, is the inherent danger posed by the venomous snake population. Protecting human life is paramount. Secondly, and equally important, is the conservation of the critically endangered golden lancehead. Their population is dwindling due to habitat loss and potential poaching, making the island a crucial refuge for their survival.

    The Island’s Scientific Significance

    Despite its dangers, Snake Island holds immense scientific value. The island provides a unique opportunity for researchers to study the evolution of venom, adaptation to isolated environments, and the complex interactions within a unique ecosystem. Scientists with special permits occasionally visit the island to conduct research, carefully navigating the treacherous terrain and handling the snakes with extreme caution.

    A Modern-Day Warning

    Snake Island serves as a stark reminder of the raw power of nature and the importance of respecting the boundaries of the wild. It’s a testament to evolution’s potential to create creatures both beautiful and terrifying. While the island may be a tempting destination for thrill-seekers and adventurers, its lethal inhabitants and the conservation efforts in place ensure that it remains a forbidden paradise, a silent guardian of its golden serpents. So, while you might not be able to add it to your travel bucket list, Snake Island remains a fascinating, cautionary tale, a place best admired from afar, understood through scientific study, and respected for its inherent and perilous beauty.