Lions benefit from accidental death of giraffe





Early in the evening of Monday 28^th March, a giraffe accidentally walked into low electricity power lines about 500m from the Leopard’s View entrance track: this is something that happens occasionally in game reserves and generally the power company responds well and gets the lines raised as soon as possible.  Sadly the giraffe was killed instantly and ended up lying across the road.  The next morning it was dragged away into the bush by rangers to allow vehicles to get by.  By then some of the local lion pride had found the carcass and they have been feeding well ever since, with up to seven on the carcass at any one time.  We saw five there on Wednesday afternoon.

This morning, Thursday 3^rd March, at 6.00 a.m., four youngish lions were lying in the road near the power lines:  al had very full bellies.  As the sun rose higher, and stopping at intervals along the way, with one giving regular location calls, they walked slowly back to the carcass.  There they encountered a young male and a young female, both of which ran away immediately at speed.  One older female stayed her ground, growling threateningly, but had to give way to the four arriving lions and moved aside for them:  from the lack of fear and overt animosity, we assumed that she must have been part of the pride at one time.  The disappearing young male may well have been one of those evicted from the pride several months ago.  The four chased the hooded and white-backed vultures gathering on the ground and three of them then sought cover in the shade while one, possibly a young male, continued feeding, at times disappearing deep into the carcass.



While the death of the giraffe in this unatural way is regrettable, there is no doubt that the lions have gained at a time of year when hunting is more difficult for them, with prey species less dependent on water and widely spread in the bush.