Hyena in Lion’s Death-Grip Defies Odds

A hyena makes an amazing escape from the jaws of a large male lion in Lions are often referred to as the “royals” of the jungle – and with good reason. As they are very dominant by nature and will take down any competition if need be. They don’t even necessarily have to eat the competitive predator – it really is just a display of dominance, to eliminate anyone in the wild they’d have to potentially fight with over food.

42-year-old field guide, Dean Robinson witnessed this amazing moment in the Sabi Sands, in the Greater Kruger and tells LatestSightings.com about this sighting:

"I was responding to a leopard on a kill sighting when the scene unfolded. Whilst watching two hyenas steal a leopard kill, a male lion snuck up on the hyenas and managed to get hold of one. The leopard watched from the highest branches of a nearby tree as the lion tried to kill the hyena."

Hyenas are very vocal and social animals and are usually a part of a clan, but they do also scavenge individually. While the lion was biting down on this hyena, you can hear the poor hyena let out yelps for help. Hyenas often group together and fight against a pride of lions, but this time, no backup arrived.

Will the hyena defy the odds and escape the lion's death grip?

"Fortunately for the hyena, the lion loosened its grip for a split second and the hyena took its chance, and made a getaway. The leopard was safe in the tree, the hyena ran away and the lion left the scene"