Lion Attack (Relentless Enemies) – Okavango Delta, Botswana – Brendon Cremer

Whoa! Lion attacks are pretty cool as long as you are a spectator and not a victim like this poor water buffalo. When I see these shots I always tend to route for the prey rather than the predator due to the fact that I don’t want to see an animal die. However if this lioness doesn’t eat something then she will be pushing up daisies pretty soon anyway. So now who do you hope wins? Please read Brendon’s story below to find out what happens and then visit his website brendoncremerphotography.com for some more great action from Africa.

Enjoy!

Enter Brendon:

This image was captured at Duba Plains, a safari lodge in the Okavango Delta, Botswana.

Duba Plains is one of Botswana’s premier destinations and is famed for the documentaries filmed there by Derek and Beverley Joubert. Breathtaking scenes that captured our imagination in films such as Relentless Enemies and more recently The Last Lions were all filmed at this prime property. This is the reason i return there every year on photographic safaris i lead for ODP Safaris, our goal on these safaris is to capture the day to day interactions and conflict between the resident prides of lions and the large buffalo herd in the area.

On this particular day we had been following this pride of lions for a number of hours as they were clearly on the scent of the buffalo and seemed very hungry, eventually they caught up with the buffalo herd in a large open area filled with shallow water about knee deep. The hunt was on and the 5 lioness immediately split up and started stalking, it took about another 45 min until the lions were in a position adequate to launch an attack from, at this point they disappeared as they lay flat in the grass, waiting for that perfect moment, then suddenly an explosion of panic as the buffalo all dashed through the water, we were very fortunate that this lioness jumped on a buffalo cow right in front of us and we were able to capture it all. Unfortunately for the lioness she was unable to hold on and the buffalo managed to escape to rejoin the rest of the herd.

Camera Nikon D3

Focal Length 200mm

Shutter Speed 1/2500 sec

Aperture f/6.3

ISO/Film 800 

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