In a dramatic encounter at Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Crater, a group of lionesses attempted to teach their cubs the art of hunting by targeting a massive Cape Buffalo.
Despite their coordinated efforts, the lions were stunned as the buffalo escaped unscathed.
Photographer Michael Mansell, from Tucson, Arizona, captured the intense scene, which unfolded over five to ten minutes.
The sequence of photographs shows the lionesses launching themselves at the buffalo, with one lioness even flipping through the air in a desperate attempt to sink her teeth into the powerful animal.
Another image reveals a lioness gripping the buffalo’s front legs, her claws digging in as she tries to bring the giant down.
However, the Cape Buffalo, weighing between 500 and 1,000 kilograms, proved a formidable opponent and ultimately managed to break free.
Mansell explained that the mother lionesses were training their cubs by demonstrating how to take down a buffalo, hoping to roll the animal so the rest of the pride could move in for the kill.
Unfortunately for the lions, their plan didn’t succeed, and hyenas eventually chased the buffalo away as it fled across a river.
During the encounter, the buffalo turned and lunged at one of the lionesses, forcing her to retreat.
Despite their best efforts, the lions could not overpower the massive buffalo, leaving them without a successful hunt.
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