conservation, endangered species, grevy's zebra, herbivores, north kenya conservation clubs, kenya, lioness, live on camera

Recently, on the live cams, viewers were treated to a spectacular hunt where a lioness pursued and killed a plains zebra. The sequence started with what sounded like an annoying vervet monkey alarm call. The zebra appeared to ignore the call. After all, it was a hot afternoon along the equator and most predators would be asleep. Shortly, the vervet's call was joined by a go-away bird in a futile attempt to warn the zebra of impending danger. The never-ending chorus of other birds could also be heard.

For a brief moment, the zebra appeared spooked but, it is unlike any predator to lay an ambush during the hot hours of the day. Ordinarily, the most dangerous time for prey is between dusk and dawn. Lions conserve energy and avoid overheating by sleeping or resting most of the day. They are at their busiest at night. Additionally, they cool off by panting or lying on their backs with their bellies exposed to the cool breeze. Young lions, climb trees to find cool spaces free of insects. They can also keep an eye on their territory and search for their next meal when they rest on high places like termite mounds and hilltops.

"I could see two zebras. There was tension, but nothing prepared me for what was to come moments later," says cam-op Fred at Mpalalive! “There's a brief moment where everything is calm. One of the zebras is off-camera, while the other can be seen grazing”.

“Suddenly, hooves can be heard hitting the ground hard. The grazing zebra takes off. The second zebra enters the screen from the left, and a lioness is hot on his ‘hooves’!” Lions hunt in prides or on their own. The lioness typically initiates the kill in collaborative hunts.

Lions follow their prey and, when they get close enough, attempt a brief charge to either pounce on it or knock it over. Lions kill prey by severing the prey’s neck or by suffocating it with their jaws. Catch this and more live action from the home of African wildlife on Explore.org