A Lion Hunts At Dawn – These Cats Blew My Mind!
Namibia’s big cats don’t disappoint.
At the first dawn of 2013, in Namibia’s Etosha National Park, we were blessed to encounter a lioness hunting.
New Year’s Eve at Okaukeujo Camp and we left the many happy revellers to see in the new year without us. We went to bed early because we had a plan for the morning.
Dusk and dawn are the best times to see ‘active’ wildlife in Africa. I was adamant that we should be up before dawn. I just had a gut feeling about it.
Our alarm sounded, 5am, we made a cup of coffee, quickly packed up the Hilux and were on our way. The old vehicle bumped out the gate onto the road toward Okondeka — still dark.
We drove slowly, peering out the front, searching in the light cast by our headlights.
First light began to appear on the horizon. We spotted movement to the left of the road. A Black Backed Jackal, an adorable little pup. These beautiful canines are often misunderstood and given a hard time for their prevalence as rabies carriers and livestock predators.
A few snaps with the camera and we continued on. The dawn breaking now — the blue light becoming brighter.
The road travelled was all our own, not another soul in sight. Again, movement to the left of the track. LION!
A single lioness sitting on her haunches scanning the ground ahead of her. A lone Oryx too, grazing 150m beyond.
We stopped the vehicle, exchanged excited glances and whispered words. We planned to sit and watch for a while, soak this in for as long as we could.
The Oryx was aware of the lion’s presence but seemed unperturbed. The feline appeared relaxed, content with keeping her distance.
I scanned ahead of us, adjusting my eyes to the changing light. A small movement caught my eye to the right. Another lion — this one in stealth mode — hunting!
I’m not sure if it was intentional but it appeared to be a team play from the lioness pair. One sitting in plain sight keeping the attention of the Oryx while the other stalked. We were captivated and the excitement was building.
The stalking cat stayed low, her body elongated and camouflaged below the tops of the grass. When the Oryx had its head down the lion would take three or four quick steps forward then drop. Smooth and precise.
Completely disappearing when she dropped to the ground, it was like a magician’s vanishing act – amazing.
When she moved, her head was tipped forward and low. Her pronounced shoulder blades, left and right, rose and fell with each step.
We could not quite believe what we were witnessing.
The routine continued as she inched her way ever closer to the unsuspecting Oryx. When she was within about 25 meters of her prey, she crouched low and readied herself.
We could almost feel her coil tight like spring. Every fibre of her being was charged and ready to explode. We waited, our hearts pounding, brimming with excited anticipation.
Suddenly, she burst into action! The Oryx, now alerted, sprung forward running for its life. The lioness got up to speed quickly and closed the gap to the Oryx with apparent ease.
We were witnessing two supreme athletic specimens at top speed. The power was raw, the intent unmistakable. A battle for survival – on both fronts.
One fleeing for its life, the other trying to obtain the necessary fuel to sustain life. A primal example of life and death playing out before our eyes. The harsh reality of life on Earth.
On this day, the Oryx won out. The lioness was unable to maintain the pace for long enough. She would go hungry for now.
In the excitement of watching the chase we did not realise that the lioness’s cubs had arrived on scene. We looked out and they were right there on the road beside us. The cherry on top of an amazing experience!
(Anne Bonfert — you might like this one)
