Lion chased by buffaloes; runs for life......... this time in Africa

Jungle life is different ~ there cannot be a casual moment, when it comes to survival..  Sure you would have seen this poster elsewhere….

"Every morning in Africa, a deer wakes up. It knows fully well,  it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning a lion wakes up in the same forest. It knows it must run faster than the slowest deer or it will starve to death. It doesn't matter if you are a lion or a deer ~ when the sun comes up you'd better be running”

How do you start your day… in Triplicane, as you come out early morning, you are sure to find cattle ~ cows and buffaloes roaming on the street.  The buffaloes are considered lazy and carefree animals…….they occupy the centre of the road and do not care to move … the buffalo that we see on road is commonly known as ‘water buffalo’ - (Bubalus bubalis) suitable for tilling rice fields, and their milk is richer in fat and protein than of the dairy cow.  By some accounts, Water buffaloes were domesticated in India some 5000 years ago !

There is also the ‘slow buffalo’ – slow buffalo ~ what ? : In wild, a slow buffalo is an old, diseased, or otherwise weak buffalo that trails at the back of the herd. A herd of buffalo only travels as fast as its slowest member, so the slow buffalo slows the entire herd down to its speed. Wolves and other predators often hunt the slowest, weakest members of a herd because they are the easiest to catch and the least likely to do any damage fighting back. The Slow Buffalo Theory says that when a predator takes out the slow buffalo, it is actually beneficial to the herd, because then the slow buffalo no longer impedes the entire herd. There is also no chance then of the slow buffalo breeding, so in the case of a disease-prone or weak or clumsy animal, its death ensures that the weaker genes will not continue in the herd. Predators thinning the herd of these slow buffalo are a form of natural selection.

So ‘Hunters and Hunted’ are common in wild…. But not what you are about to read based on a newsitem in Daily Mail in 3^rd May 2013.  Hunter becomes the hunted as this not-so-fierce lion is forced to flee with his tail between his legs by an angry herd of buffalo.

Lion no doubt is majestic, the King of Jungle and is feared by other animals………… but in an eerie scene, this lion found himself outnumbered after mistiming his pounce on this herd at Kruger National Park in South Africa.  On that day, in the African jungle, the herd of buffalo certainly showed the lion as to who is the boss.

The proud lion had to beat a hasty retreat and forced to run for cover when buffalo he was stalking turned round and struck back. The lion swallowed his pride and sprinted away in to the bush scurrying for cover.  Perhaps it was lucky to escape with his life after he misjudged his attack on a herd of Cape buffalo, was out numbered and attacked back with deadly force.  It is stated that African Cape buffalo can weigh up to a ton and have powerful fused horns so strong that they have sometimes even been known to stop rifle bullets. Their herds are remarkable for their lack of hierarchy and an apparent altruism that makes them fiercely protective of calves and weaker members. When chased by predators the herd sticks close together, calves gathered in the middle, to make it hard for any one member to be picked off. They fight off threats, as in this instance, by forming a mob and charging at predators with superior weight and numbers.

Buffalo have been recorded chasing lions up a tree and keeping them there for as long as two hours. Lion cubs unlucky enough to get in the way can get trampled and killed. Daily mail reports that photographer, Dave Woollacott, captured the fear etched on the lions face as he frantically tried to escape the furious buffalo. Mr Woollacott, a project manager from Johannesburg, was travelling with his wife, celebrating their 33rd wedding anniversary, when he spotted the extraordinary scene. 'It was dusk and the sky was heavy with cloud when we started to leave the park through the Phabeni Gate,' he said. 'Suddenly we came across a herd of Cape buffalo in a dry river bed. 'We watched as lion tried to attack from the left bank. 'But the buffalo outnumbered him and they chased the frightened lion away, across the river bed and into the undergrowth.'

Sometimes the meek also attack and rule the World

With regards – S. Sampathkumar.

6^th May 2013.

buffalo chase : source www.dailymail.co.uk