Lion and sable standoff

Apr 18, 2024

On the golden sands of Hwange National Park, a normal day usually kicks off with a race between a Sable Antelope and a lion. It's a classic-the Sable must outrun the lion, while the lion knows it just needs to outpace the slowest Sable. Quite the morning routine, right?

Now, let me whisk you away to one sunny Tuesday afternoon at Gwango Elephant Lodge. We're all lounging by the restaurant, digging into our scrumptious meals, when suddenly, we hear someone through the crowd. "Guys, I think I spotted a lion over yonder!” Well…, not exactly (I’m just trying to recreate that day's drama here for you) what they really said was “I just saw a lion over there” in a panicky voice.

We didn’t want to miss out, so as quickly as we could, we rallied everyone into the safari vehicle and off we went racing towards the watering hole. There, we saw the Sables quenching their thirst, and the king of the jungle, eyeing his potential prey.

But here's the kicker - as the lion starts to creep closer, those brave Sables quickly turn around and face him head-on. Talk about gutsy! They start strutting towards the lion, who, in a shocking twist, turns tail and slinks back into the bushes. Yep, you read that right - the Sable Antelope sent the mighty king packing!

Most antelopes travel in groups, and they're safer in numbers. That’s why they were brave enough to stand their ground that day.

Now, if you're scratching your head, wondering what on earth a Sable is, you're not alone. I mean, who knew an Antelope could stand up to a lion like that? Picture this majestic creature: brown to black coat, sleek and shiny, with those iconic backward-curving horns. And let's not forget those three striking black stripes on its face - talk about fashion-forward!

As for their fighting style, let's just say it's not for the faint-hearted. These Sables aren't afraid to lock horns, quite literally. And when they do, it's Quite a battle.

So, there you have it - a tale of bravery and a dash of wild drama straight from the heart of the African savannah. Who knew the underdog could reign supreme in the domain of beasts?