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Crocodile’s Surprise Attack on Warthog Facing a Pack of Hyenas

crocodile makes surprise attack

If you are a warthog on the African savannah, you can turn into a meal in the blink of an eye and the dangers are literally all around you. This warthog gets cornered by a pack of hyenas, and doesn’t know that there’s an even more lethal predator just inches behind it – a crocodile planning a surprise attack.

Read to the end to watch the video!

Stuck Between a Rock and a Hard Place: A Warthog’s Enemies

warthog drinking
Southern warthog (Phacochoerus africanus sundevallii) male. Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Life in the wild is harsh and unpredictable, as seen by this the warthog who is stuck between a rock and a hard place. On one side, the hyenas, known for their cunning and persistence, present a formidable threat. On the other, the unseen danger of the crocodile adds a chilling twist to the warthog’s predicament.

When you are prey, you are in constant peril and must daily struggle for survival.

Hyenas on the Hunt

hyena with prey
Spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) with prey. Brwynog, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Hyenas, often misunderstood, are remarkable hunters with a strategy that relies on endurance and teamwork. They are known to pursue their prey in packs, using relentless chasing to exhaust their target.

Their hunting technique is a blend of patience and coordination, demonstrating their role as skilled predators in the ecosystem. This video showcases their strategic prowess in cornering the warthog, a testament to their hunting skills.

Crocodile Attacks

crocodile with its prey
A Nile Crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) feeds on a dead wildebeest, during the Great Migration, in the Masai Mara, in Kenya. Arturo de Frias Marques, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The crocodile, an apex predator, exhibits a starkly different hunting style. Known for their explosive power and stealth, crocodiles often remain submerged and motionless, waiting for the perfect moment to launch a surprise attack. Their method is one of ambush and overwhelming force, capable of seizing even the most vigilant prey.

This featured surprise attack captures their sudden and brutal efficiency, highlighting the unpredictability of nature.

Hyenas Vs. Crocodile: Who’s the Biggest Threat?

sea water crocodile
Salt water crocodile (Crocodylus porosus). Photo taken in Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary, Odisha, India. Rohit Naniwadekar, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The video poses an intriguing question: between hyenas and the crocodile, which poses the greater threat to the warthog?

Hyenas, with their strategic hunting and pack mentality, bring relentless pressure. The crocodile, on the other hand, offers a sudden, almost invisible danger. This comparison underscores the varied survival challenges animals face, each predator with different methods of attack to look out for.

Warthogs: Fight or Flight?

warthog
Common warthog (Phacochoerus africanus). Image by Henning Borgersen via Unsplash

Warthogs, the underdogs in this scenario, are known for their resilience and survival instincts. They can exhibit both fight and flight responses depending on the threat. In the face of hyenas, a warthog might consider fleeing, using its speed and agility. However, against a surprise attack like that of a crocodile, the options are starkly limited.

Crocodile Makes Surprise Attack: The Footage

Warthog
Nolan warthog (Phacochoerus africanus africanus). Charles J. Sharp – Own work, from Sharp Photography, sharpphotography, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=55512532
YouTube video
Try Not To Melt on YouTube

The video opens with a tense scene at a watering hole, where a warthog stands at the edge, cornered by a pack of hyenas. The warthog, aware of the immediate threat, calculates its next move. Unbeknownst to the warthog, an even worse threat looms just inches away – a crocodile, perfectly camouflaged and poised for an ambush.

The second the warthog attempts to flee from the hyenas, the much more formidable predator, the crocodile, makes a surprise attack.

What do warthogs eat?

Warthog
A female warthog (Phacochoerus aethiopicus) grazing with her piglets in the Kruger National Park, South Africa. Image via Depositphotos.

Warthogs are omnivorous, feeding on grasses, roots, berries, and insects. They use their strong snouts and tusks to dig for food, and they will also eat small animals and carrion when available.

How do warthogs protect themselves?

Warthog Family Kruger National Park. Tara Panton
Warthog Family Kruger National Park. Tara Panton

Warthogs protect themselves using their sharp tusks and by running to their burrows, which they enter rear-first to defend against predators. They are also known to be quite agile and can run at speeds of up to 30 miles per hour.

How do warthogs reproduce?

warthogs fighting
Warthogs (Phacochoerus africanus) males, Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, South Africa. Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Warthogs mate during the rainy season, and after a gestation period of about six months, the female gives birth to a litter of two to eight piglets. The young are raised in burrows for protection until they are strong enough to venture out.

Where do crocodiles live?

Close-up image of a crocodiles eye via Pexels

Crocodiles inhabit freshwater environments such as rivers, lakes, wetlands, and sometimes brackish water near coastal areas. They prefer warm climates and are often found in tropical and subtropical regions.

What do crocodiles eat?

nile crocodile
Image of a crocodiles head. Image via Leigh Bedford, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Crocodiles are carnivorous and feed on fish, birds, mammals, and other reptiles. They are ambush predators, waiting for their prey to come close before launching a swift and powerful attack.

How do crocodiles reproduce?

Crocodile is in the water
Is the rank of reptiles Is a large predatory animal
Crocodiles are considered animals at the top of the food chain. Image via depositphotos

Crocodiles lay eggs, typically in nests built on riverbanks or buried in sand. The female guards the nest until the eggs hatch, and she may assist the hatchlings in reaching the water. Crocodile eggs incubate for about 80-90 days.

Are crocodiles dangerous to humans?

salt water crocodile
Salt water crocodiles are the largest crocodile species in the world. Image via Rohit Naniwadekar, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Yes, crocodiles can be extremely dangerous to humans. They are known for their powerful bite and stealthy approach, making them a significant threat in areas where they coexist with human populations.

Where do hyenas live?

Spotted Hyena
Spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta), Etosha National Park, Namibia. Image via Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Hyenas are found in a variety of habitats across Africa and parts of Asia, including savannas, grasslands, forests, and mountainous regions. They are highly adaptable and can thrive in various environments.

What do hyenas eat?

hyena
Hyena in the Masai Mara. Richard Probst, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Hyenas are primarily scavengers but also skilled hunters. They feed on carrion, small to medium-sized ungulates, and even insects. They have powerful jaws capable of crushing bones to access marrow.

How do hyenas reproduce?

hyena
Image via Depositphotos

Hyenas have a unique reproductive system, especially the spotted hyena, where females have pseudo-penises and give birth through their enlarged clitoris. After a gestation period of around 110 days, they give birth to 1-4 cubs, which are raised in communal dens.

How do hyenas communicate?

Hyena Kruger National Park. Tara Panton
Hyena Kruger National Park. Image by Tara Panton

Hyenas communicate using a variety of vocalizations, body postures, and scent markings. Their famous “laugh” is a signal of excitement or submission, and they use whoops to call to one another over long distances.

Closing Thoughts

warthogs fighting
Warthogs (Phacochoerus africanus) males, Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, South Africa. Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Even if we already knew that nature’s laws are brutal, this video truly shows the daily (and many) battles for survival in the wild if you are a warthog – or any other prey on the savannah. When you’re wanted as a snack, you can never let your guard down as dangers lurk around every corner – or under the water’s surface, in this case.

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Image of a baby Hyena via Pexels.
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