A Play by Play of the Rumble in the Jungle from a Real Zoologist
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If you think your office is a jungle or you live in a rough neighborhood, consider what it is like to hang around the Kruger National Park in South Africa
More than 500 bird species and 147 mammals, including some 2,000 lions, 1,000 leopards, 1,800 rhinos, 8,000 elephants, and 15,000 buffaloes live on just over 7000 square miles of land.
Two of those species do not get along. It's a rivalry captured on tape by some two legged creatures on safari. Watch the whole thing -- it's worth it. After you watch, read the Bryant Park Project Q&A with wildlife experts Dr. Jeffrey P. Bonner, President and CEO of the Saint Louis Zoo who gave us a play by play of the rumble in the jungle.
Q&A with Dr. Bonner about the Kruger Park Smackdown
Bryant Park Project: Are water buffalo the natural prey of lions?
Dr. Bonner: Cape (or African) buffalo are often prey for lions. They might target a particular weak, young, diseased or injured animal. Healthy Cape buffalo, however, would be an incredible challenge for most prides
BPP: Do lions hunt in groups like that or is it usually a solo go?
BONNER: Lions almost always hunt in prides, with the females keying the hunt. Males are more likely to find a role in defending the pride's territory from incursion from other lions.That said, males can and do hunt, particularly when they are not in control of a pride. Males are actually quite efficient hunters.
BPP: What did you think when the crocs got in on the action?
BONNER: When the crocs got in on the action, I wasn't surprised. We are always very careful in approaching any water in areas where we know that crocs are present. I've spent many hours bathing in rivers in Africa keeping one eye out for crocs!
BPP Why didn't the crocs win in dragging the calf in the water?
BONNER: They hunt by stealth, and have been known to give up on a kill for a number of reasons. For example, they often give up when their prey goes limp and feigning death might not be a bad strategy if you ever find yourself in the jaws of a croc. Like all animals, they may also give up if they think the risk/reward ratio isn't in their favor (in other words, if they feel like they've bit off a little more than they can chew).
BPP: So the water buffalo return...with an attitude---is this common?
BONNER: Cape buffalo do have an attitude. Many times they've looked at me like, well, like I owe them money. I've seen daga boys (older males that no longer can run the herd and go off by themselves) face down lions. They may panic a little bit (clearly they did in the video) but come back and reassert themselves (along with their natural orneriness). That seems to be what happened here. They said, in effect, "Wait a minute. There's a lot of us, we're tough and aggressive, and we shouldn't have run off to begin with. Those guys can't take us!!!" The buffalo succeeded with a divide and conquer method that is, chasing off one lion at a time.
BPP: Why did the lions suddenly become 'fraidy cats?
BONNER: The lions realized that they didn't want to take on a large number of angry buffalo. Not surprisingly, they decided, in human terms, that discretion was the better part of valor.
BPP: Do you think the calf survived?
BONNER: Calves are remarkably resilient creatures. I've seen them survive some pretty horrific assaults. Can't say if this one made it, but I hope so!
9:31 AM ET | 08-16-2007 | permalink
