See How African Buffaloes Fend Off the Collaborative Attacks of an Entire Lion Pride

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Few animals in Africa can stand against a lion and win, let alone an entire pride. However, African buffalo are a rare exception. This video from the Terra Mater YouTube channel showcases how these extraordinary animals work together to repel a determined lion attack, turning the tables on their would-be predators!

How Buffalos Defend Against Lion Attacks

Taking down an African buffalo is no easy feat. It certainly can’t be done by a lone lion, and even an entire pride will find the task extremely challenging. The sheer size and muscular build of African buffalos are powerful deterrents. Their thick hides are difficult to penetrate; no lion wants to deal with those sharp horns.

Buffalos are also highly social animals and live in large herds. They rely on one another for protection with much of their strength lying in their numbers. Some herds can number in the thousands, making them almost impenetrable to even the most skilled lion pride.

Even smaller buffalo herds, however, often have the advantage over lions. Healthy adults form a tight, defensive circle around younger and weaker members of the herd. Facing outwards, they create a protective barrier of bulky muscle and formidable horns.

As seen in the video above, buffalo are fiercely protective and will fight back against even the most determined lions. Mothers will go head to head with multiple lions to defend their calves, and their calls will quickly bring the rest of the herd to their defense. Even when lions appear to have taken down a buffalo, the herd will charge in to rescue it.

Why Buffalos Aren’t Usually a Lion’s Go-To Food Choice

Lions often avoid hunting buffalos due to the high risks involved. Successfully taking down a buffalo requires a lot of experience, strength, strategy, and luck. Hunting buffalo is always a gamble for lions, as they could get severely injured. If successful, however, a buffalo provides plenty of meat for the entire pride.

As seen in the video above, lions often wait near water sources, especially during dry, hot summers. Others carefully stalk and ambush buffalo in tall grass. Another common strategy is for a lion pride to continually attack and harass a buffalo herd over several hours, exhausting them and making them more vulnerable to a final attack. Like the final lioness in the video, prides usually target young or weak buffalos, strategically separating them from the rest of the herd.

Although buffalo are an important food source for lions, they aren’t usually their preferred choice. On average, lions hunting in groups are successful in around 30% of hunts, while solo lions succeed in only about 17% of their attempts. And targeting a buffalo, of course, greatly decreases these odds.

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