By Kate Harrold
WITNESS the moment a giraffe defied DEATH after it survived being dragged down by a pride of SIX lions for FIVE HOURS.
After a tense stakeout, three lions launched their attack on a nearby giraffe – one hitched a piggy-back whilst the other two clung onto each of the giraffe’s back legs.
The three remaining lions soon joined in as they bit at the giraffe to provide back up.
Despite weighing around 375-pounds each, this was no match for the 1,750-pound giraffe who plodded along until the lion’s tired of their attempts.
Photographer Francois Pienaar (29) from Hoedspruit, South Africa, captured the footage for Latest Sightings at Klaserie Private Nature Reserve in Greater Kruger National Park, South Africa. Francois stood around 100-feet away as he watched the giraffe’s five-hour ordeal.
“We found a pride of sleeping lions early one morning. When they woke up, we followed them for a while and spotted an old giraffe. We were unaware the lions had set their sights on it too,” Francois said.
“We sat quietly as they stalked the giraffe and after about twenty minutes, the chase was on. They grabbed at the giraffe’s legs and a female lion jumped on its back.
“After much struggle, the lions finally got the giraffe to stop walking but they still hadn’t brought it down to the ground.
“The giraffe managed to stay standing and throw the lions off his back. He then fought his way out by stomping at them.
“It took five hours for the lions to give up. The giraffe lived to see another day.”
Giraffes are susceptible to attacks from lions, hyenas, leopards and wild dogs but what they lack in ferocity, they make up for in strength – using their legs to kick predators away. Receiving a single kick from a giraffe could be lethal prompting predators to be cautious with their attacks.
