3 lions play tug of war with a warthog when they try to take it out of its burrow on the side of a termite mound.
Juan Pinto was able to capture this intense scene on camera and shared it with LatestSightings.com.
“Barren trees, dry sand, and the slightest winter breeze—all signs of a perfect winter afternoon safari. We headed out in search of lions in the Thornybush Game Reserve. We began following the tracks of what appeared to be three lions along the dry riverbed sand. Every track appeared more recent than the last. Boy, were we close!”
“Finding lions after following their tracks is always so rewarding, and today was no different. Three lions patrolling the banks of the dry river. When suddenly something caught their eye. A warthog that had seen the lions scrambled for the safety of its burrow on the side of an abandoned termite mound.”
“The lions gave chase and got to the burrow just in time to grab hold of the retreating warthog. Grabbing it by the face, the tug of war began. Three lions using all of their power to hold on and hopefully pull this big bore out of its burrow.”
When warthogs feel threatened, they quickly run into their burrows for safety. Backing into the burrow bottoms first. These burrows are underground homes that they dig themselves. The burrows have small entrances, which make it difficult for bigger predators to get inside. Warthogs wait inside until the danger goes away, and then they come out again.
“The battle lasted only a few minutes. The once serene and quiet bush was brought to life with the dire squeals of the warthog. Fighting for its life, it tried to break free from the lions so it could retreat deeper into the burrow and out of reach.”
Lions are incredibly strong and powerful animals. They have strong jaws, sharp teeth, and muscular bodies. Lions can take down large prey with their hunting skills and overpower animals much bigger than themselves. Their strength allows them to chase and capture prey during intense pursuits.
“Unfortunately for the warthog, the lions were able to pull it out. And within a matter of seconds, three lions collectively suffocated and killed the warthog. The squeals and cries came to a sudden halt, and the bush returned to its original calmness in no time.”