Watch: Retreat! Lions and rhino sent scampering
Apex predators of the African bush had their pride hurt after realising they were little match for the sharp horn of a grumpy rhino.
Lions that couldn’t resist having a go at a rhino soon realised the power of its horn.
Jordan Davidson has guided many safaris in the bush, but this sighting took him by surprise.
According to Latest Sightings, Davidson says everything was in place for another typical lion sighting.
He says a rhino, looking for fresh grazing grass, walked up to relaxing lions.
“Rhinos don’t have the best eyesight, so it likely couldn’t see anything from far out, but the lions’ smell was suspicious, so it kept investigating.
“Eventually, the rhino was so close that it made one of the lionesses uncomfortable. She ran off for good reason… The rhino could see clearly now and already had a defensive stance.”
He says the second lioness had more of an opportunistic eye and, as the rhino was chasing its sister, she went into a pouncing position. She didn’t have to wait long, as the rhino quickly decided it would be best to make a U-turn.
After launching for the rhino’s rump, the lioness realised it was in over its head. “She immediately let go and abandoned ship… The very grumpy rhino was turning around to face them.”
With both lionesses out of the picture, the only thing standing in the rhino’s way was the poor male lion.
“Amazingly, the lion’s first instinct wasn’t to run… It walked right up to the rhino. 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 lion learnt the same lesson as the others, but not before the rhino tried to stab it twice.
Realising how lucky it was, the lion bolted into the bushes. The rhino ran the other way, with a plucky lioness seeing it off.
