While predators are experts at hunting down their meals, circumstances might force them to leave food undefended, or prey animals can die from other causes than predation.
Such carcasses are a free-for-all for meat eating animals looking for an easy meal, after all, food often tastes so much better when it’s made by someone else.
For a 27-year-old Nadav Ossendryver, founder of Latest Sightings, this impala carcass near the Echo Loop in the Kruger National Park was an opportunity for him to see a spectacular display of animals arriving in sequence.
First On The Scene
The first animal to notice the dead impala and swoop down to feed was a bateleur eagle. Birds that soar across open plains and wooded areas at low altitudes, the brown feathers of this one indicated it was not yet a mature adult.
Bateleur eagles have a diverse diet, but they’re not about to say no to some easy meat, and this one had the privilege of being the first to arrive and therefore it had the best opportunity to gorge itself on the flesh of the impala.
The Competition Arrives
It was likely the arrival of the eagle that attracted the other animals to the site, however, making it its own worst enemy. Soon after the eagle began to feed, Nadav noticed the arrival of vultures high in the sky.
As bateleurs are typically low flying birds, others that keep to high altitudes, like vultures, can see when they make a beeline for food sources. Then they themselves know where to descend.
The young bateleur was quickly ushered away by the vultures which arrived several at a time until there was an entire flock of birds swarming the dead impala.
A Takeaway Meal
This wasn’t the last of it, however. That many vultures swooping down on an area could attract all kinds of attention, and Nadav knew that there were often lions in the area.
He stayed put in the hope that he was about to see one of the big five, and sure enough nature rewarded him for his patience with the glimpse of a large feline approaching through the trees.
The lion, a large male, went right past the impala at first before doubling back around to claim the carcass. The vultures evacuated the area quickly, allowing the lion to lift the impala in its mouth and start carrying it away.
The Competition Never Stops
With an apex predator like a lion claiming the impala for its own, it seemed that the competition had come to an end. That was until another lion arrived on the scene.
Also a male, but larger than the first, this lion gave chase with the clear intention of claiming the valuable meal for itself, showing how competition for food is a constant struggle among the wild animals of the Kruger.
Knowing how the chain of events might play out allowed Nadav to see an eagle, vultures, and two lions. It’s always a good idea to do some research on animal habits before going on safari, as knowing what to expect can help elevate the experience.
