Giraffe kill ripple effect

One of the resident prides of lions, the Ottawa Pride, amazed us all on the 17th June when they managed to kill a full grown adult male Giraffe. Looking at the tracks and the way that the Giraffe was positioned we could see that he had been chased and possibly lost his footing and fell. It was not just the kill and the fact that it was a Giraffe that was amazing, but what would happen around this carcass for the next two weeks. The Ottawa pride spent a nearly a week on the carcass constantly taking turns feeding, their bellies swollen up like balloons and breathing heavily. Every time we visited the kill and saw lions lying off to the side sleeping, it seemed that they were so uncomfortable with such huge bellies. We even saw some of the juveniles sleeping on the carcass. There were hundreds of vultures perched up in the trees surrounding the kill waiting patiently for the lions to move off. From out of the shadows one evening a young 2 year old male lion that recently lost his pride and was desperate for some food arrived, and attempted to feed while the pride lay and watched. He managed to get a few bites when all of a sudden the inevitable happened. He was savagely attacked and was unfortunately killed. A few days later, the pride eventually moved off and 11 hyenas were seen feeding. In the Sabi Sands, seeing 11 hyenas feeding together is a very rare sighting so the radio was filled with excitement as rangers all tried their best to have a look before the action was over. We had stopped for a drink nearby and could hear all of the loud laughing and cackling sounds as the Hyenas excitedly ripped the carcass to pieces. Nearly 10 days after the Giraffe was killed, there was still action to see around the carcass, the vultures finally got a chance to feed. There were hundreds of Hooded and White-Backed vultures hissing and screaming at one another over the scraps that were strewn all of the place. There were even two White Headed vultures in the mix. As if that wasn’t enough, a Leopard was seen investigating the carcass one evening as well as Side Striped and Black Backed Jackals were both seen feeding. Isn’t it amazing that one death would have such a huge impact on so many animals? Most of the animals that were effected had a positive experience whereas in the young male lions case – a negative one. Such is life in the African bush!

Posted: Exeter Lodges by Craig Paulsen, Date: 2 July 2009

 
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