The News Life

“Underestimating the Underdog: The Lion’s Costly Mistake”

October 2, 2023 by admin

Writer Sonya Joy witnessed two lions trying to break open the rock-hard scales of a pangolin during a tour of the Londolozi private reserve in South Africa. As they approached the lions, Joy, guide Tshepo Dzemba and forest ranger Mrisho Lugenge saw a lioness scratching and biting a pangolin.

Pangolins are about the size of domestic animals and have no weapons against large predators. When threatened, their self-defense tactic is to curl up tightly into a ball so that the hard scales cover their entire body and wait for the frustrated predator to give up. The lion’s teeth couldn’t find a hole to go through, Joy explained.

The stacked scales of a pangolin are made of keratin, a tough protein found in rhino horns and fingernails. This armor can withstand the strongest bites, turning pangolins into difficult prey. However, according to Safari Live guide Tristan Dicks, sometimes lions are lucky enough to break open the pangolin’s scales. Young pangolins have softer scales than adults, making them especially vulnerable to predators.

In this case, the lion’s efforts to feed seem futile. After trying to lick through the shell, the lioness asked her companion to help rhyme her prey to find an attack. Because it was dark, Joy and her group had to leave, so they weren’t sure if the pangolin would survive. The pair of lions ignore their prey, but they may return for a second attempt.

 

Filed Under: Animal New

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • BREAKING: “$550 Million? KEEP IT!” — Tarik Skubal Stuns MLB by Turning Down Massive Offers from Dodgers and Yankees to Stay in Detroit, Sparking Viral Debate About Loyalty, Legacy, and the Future of Baseball Superstars in the Modern Era.nh1
  • BREAKING: Rangers Set to Shock MLB with Unusually Aggressive Trade Deadline Strategy — Sources Reveal the Real, Unexpected Reason That Has Nothing to Do with the Standings But Could Change Everything for 2026.nh1
  • WHAT IF the Braves Make the Wrong Move? Inside the Urgent Trade Deadline Dilemma That Could Decide Whether Atlanta Rules the NL Again in 2026 — Or Watches Another October Fade into Dust.nh1
  • BREAKING NEWS: Aaron Boone’s Future with Yankees in Jeopardy After Explosive Fan Backlash — Viral Tweet Demands Steinbrenner Take Action Amid Season Collapse That Has Left New York Furious, Frustrated, and Searching for Accountability.nh1
  • GOOD NEWS: Kerry Carpenter Is Back — But What He’s Doing for the Tigers Now Is Something No One Saw Coming, and It Might Change the Future of Detroit Baseball Forever.nh1

Recent Comments

  1. A WordPress Commenter on Hello world!

Copyright © 2025 · Paradise on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in