The Takedown

Both in the Ngorongoro Crater and on the Serengeti Plains, all of the animals have predators. The most vulnerable are the young, the old or partially disabled, and the loners.

While out on game drives, we saw a number of predators stocking their prey. Most were a bust, but none the less interesting.

The kill starts with a stocking process. The predator attempting to position itself for a takedown. Sometimes, using the element of surprise, and other times, to separate a weakling from the herd.

The animals' natural defences were interesting too. The elephants and buffalo kept their young in the middle of their herd. The zebra often positioned themselves in 3s, head to tail in a triangle, each with its own view, and collectively covered the full 360 degrees of their surroundings. Almost all the animals herded, which gave them individual protection because the predator could only take on one of their herd members, allowing the rest to get away.

 In one case, we saw a lioness stocking a warthog. The warthog played the lioness until the lioness went for the takedown, but the warthog made an easy getaway. It appeared the warthog had taunted the lioness away from her lair and babies which were probably hidden somewhere close by.

But of course, the defences weren't always enough. We were notified of a kill and when we arrived, 3 lions were taking turns eating their recent water buffalo takedown. Other animals and birds surrounded the site to get their hunger fed, but had to wait their turn because the lion is pretty much at the top of the food chain.

The 3rd and most exciting event we saw was a red buck being taken down near a watering hole. The leopard stocked the lone red buck from behind high grasses, then took it quickly with the element of surprise.

Its survival of the fittest with the hunters hunting the hunted, and takedowns are a fascinating and everyday occurrence in the wilds of Africa.

Click here for the Zanzibar story series: http://travellingwithsteveandmarlene.blogspot.ca/2016/11/getting-to-our-home-in-zanzibar.html

Click here for the African series finale, Kudos and Other Things African:
http://travellingwithsteveandmarlene.blogspot.ca/2016/11/kudos-and-other-things-african.html