The News Life

“The Dethroned Lion King Helplessly Witnesses a Relentless Attack on His Mate by a Pangolin, Unable to Intervene.”

October 22, 2023 by Cong Danh

When you’re a hungry lion, most animals probably seem like a good bet at snack time.

But this lion certainly bit off more than it could chew when it pounced on a pangolin.

British wildlife guide Mark Sheridan-Johnson captured on film this inquisitive big cat which spent a long time trying to devour the odd looking creature in the Selous Game Reserve in Tanzania.

The rare, armour plated pangolin had the perfect defence tactic:roll up into a ball and stay there – whatever happens.

The images show how the hapless lion appeared confused by its spherical prey, as it batted the creature about with its paws and even tried to carry it around in its mouth.

Mr Sheridan-Johnson, 31, from Newcastle, was showing a group of tourists around the game reserve when he spotted the little pangolin battling for its life.

‘The pangolin is an extremely difficult animal to see and is considered by many guides in Africa to be the holy grail of sightings,’ he said.

‘You can spend your whole life driving round the bush and never see one.
‘So when we came across one being attacked by a lion, we could not believe our eyes.

‘The pangolin was obviously having a really bad day.’

The images show how the hapless lion appeared confused by its spherical prey, as it batted the creature about with its paws and even tried to carry it around in its mouth.

Mr Sheridan-Johnson, 31, from Newcastle, was showing a group of tourists around the game reserve when he spotted the little pangolin battling for its life.

‘The pangolin is an extremely difficult animal to see and is considered by many guides in Africa to be the holy grail of sightings,’ he said.

‘You can spend your whole life driving round the bush and never see one.
‘So when we came across one being attacked by a lion, we could not believe our eyes.

‘The pangolin was obviously having a really bad day.’

When caught by large predators such as lions they work their muscles into a cutting action to lacerate the mouths of their adversaries.

The injuries caused can be serious for the animal attempting to eat the pangolin.

Pangolins survive by using their sensitive tongues, which can grow up to 16 inches long, to probe ant nests and termite mounds to eat the insects inside.

‘In the end the lion gave up and wandered off in search of something else and the pangolin escaped,’ said Mark.

‘He stayed in his ball for a long time until it got dark, just to make sure he was safe.’

The Selous Game Reserve is Africa’s largest protected wildlife reserve and it covers five percent of Tanzania’s total land mass.

 

Filed Under: Animal New

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • SAD NEWS: How Denny McLain – DETROIT TIGERS’ “31-WIN MVP LEGEND” – COLLAPSED TRAGICALLY From 1968 HERO to PRISON, GAMBLING SCANDALS, Selling Autographs on eBay Just to Survive, and Why Detroit Fans Still Can’t Bear to Watch!.nh1
  • Tarik Skubal leaves Tigers in the middle of title race – the reason why fans can’t help but be emotional.Y1
  • Billionaire family DRAMA: Shaq declared “You guys aren’t rich, I’m rich!”.P1
  • BREAKING: Netflix to Pay $13.5 Million for Cubs Iconic Movie – A Love Song Between Wrigley Field and America.Y1
  • SHAQ THE STAR” – NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal blows up Havana’s basketball court in historic basketball diplomacy mission!.p1

Recent Comments

  1. A WordPress Commenter on Hello world!

Copyright © 2025 · Paradise on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in