By Josie December 21st, 2024
This intense video shows us the last few moments of a baby impala’s short life – first caught by a python and then falling into the jaws and paws of a hyena.
During a safari in Botswana’s Okavango Delta, a python hiding under leaves near a Bushwillow tree suddenly captured a young impala lamb.
The python’s attack, involving its typical constriction method, drew the attention of a nearby hyena.
This hyena engaged in a tug-of-war with the python, eventually carrying both the snake and the impala a short distance away.
After a brief struggle, the python realized that the hyena now had the upper hand - it loses its grip and slithers away.
Pythons employ a method of constriction, where they swiftly wrap their muscular bodies around their prey, exerting immense pressure.
Hyenas are opportunistic hunters known for their cunning and tenacity. This instance perfectly illustrates their skills for sniffing out easy meals.
Hyenas are most famously known for challenging lions, leveraging their numbers and boldness to usurp kills from these apex predators.
Additionally, hyenas are known to steal from leopards, cheetahs, and wild dogs, capitalizing on their opportunistic nature.
As heart-wrenching as this video is, we must remind ourselves that food chains like this one make our ecosystems, and our world, go around at the end of the day.