Things looked pretty bleak for a young buffalo calf singled out by a pack of hungry lions in northwest Tanzania, but thanks to a little help from his friends, the lion attack was thwarted.
At first, a defiant adult buffalo did its best to shield the young calf from the lions and fought off the predators as long as it could. But after one lion grabbed the calf, the cavalry came to the rescue.
Amateur photographer Andreas Häntzschel, 39, of Aachen, Germany, was on the safari when the lion attack unfolded. He snapped photos and videotaped the scene:
In the beginning, the buffalo herd ran away from the approaching lions, leaving behind the calf and adult, presumably its mother. Once the lion snatched the youngster, the adult buffalo went after the lion, as did the rest of the herd, appearing out of nowhere to help run off the lions.
Buffalo runs after the lion that grabbed the calf. Photo by Andreas Häntzschel/Mercury Press/Caters News
Buffalo herd returns to run off the lions and save the young calf. Photo by Andreas Häntzschel/Mercury Press/Caters News
“This was absolutely unreal,” Häntzschel told Caters News Agency. “This was amazing and you don’t get a lot of chances to see something like it.
“To see lions is not too spectacular, but to see them fighting is great. The buffaloes were very courageous to save themselves.”
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