Video: Porcupine takes on a pride of 17 lions and wins
The amazing footage was captured by game keepers at Londolozi Game Reserve near Kruger National Park
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The South African savanna at night, seventeen hungry lions cross paths with a tiny porcupine, there is only one outcome you would think.
But you would be wrong.
Game keepers at the Londolozi Game Reserve in near Kruger National Park captured the amazing moment where one tenacious porcupine proved that a pride of lions was no match for a rodent bearing quills.
In the video titled Lion Vs Porcupine, keeper Lucien Beaumont and his group of animal watchers were witness to a confrontation that saw a pride of 17 lions try but inevitably fail to overcome their prickly opponent.
The event, which was described on the Londolozi Game Reserve’s blog by Beaumont, sees the lions surround the porcupine and prod it and paw it, before realising the futility of their exercise.
Beaumont writes: “The pride soon became active and started to move with the four male lions in tow. Suddenly we saw the group clump together and it looked like they were surrounding something of interest.
“All was not lost however and the porcupine began to shake its tail (known as a rattle) – the sound of the quills makes a distracting noise.
“The porcupine began to run backwards into any lion that would come too close for comfort, a common defence mechanism for a threatened porcupine.”
See More: Great White Shark Vs Great White Shark
Man climbs on top of dead whale at centre of shark feeding frenzy
He added: “This very lucky porcupine managed to survive. The cubs soon lost their bravery and backed off, leaving the porcupine to disappear into the night and live to see another day.”
While porcupines may seem harmless, they have been known in the past to kill lions, as well as leopards and hyenas.
Their trademark quills are released as a defence mechanism when predators get to close and these can cause nasty wounds that can eventually lead to deadly infections.
The video of the amazing meeting between the lion pride and the porcupine has so far received over 340,000 views on Youtube after being uploaded on 30 October.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments