How Do Lions Hunt? A Look at Big Cats and Bigger Meals!

If you think your kitty has a giant appetite, wait until you see lion prides on the hunt. These big cat families have a lot of mouths to feed, which means they’re constantly hungry for prey that’s fast, smart and sometimes dangerous.

But don’t worry — lions have plenty of tricks up their furry sleeves. Their clever techniques keep them fed through the toughest times out on the savannah, helping them survive to roar another day.

The good news is that you don’t have to be a fierce lioness or an unlucky zebra to know what a lion hunt feels like from the inside. “Big Cats 24/7” puts you at the heart of the action both day and night, giving you an up-close look at how these kitties put food on the table. You’ll experience everything from stalking to stealing and more.

Here’s a look at the hunting methods you’ll see from the lions of “Big Cats 24/7.”

Lion Hunting Techniques

It likely comes as no surprise that the African savannah is short on fast-food restaurants — and good luck ordering delivery when you’ve got paws or hooves instead of thumbs. That means every animal under the hot sun must get creative about mealtime.

For lions, this means setting aside picky appetites and snacking on whatever they can catch. There are a lot of morsels on the menu, and each one comes with its own challenges. For example, in various habitats, lions might hunt:

• Running prey: Deer-like prey animals, including wildebeests, impalas, tsessebes and gazelles, are excellent runners. Some even have horns and strong kicking legs that can leave a wounded lion limping away.

• Fighting prey: Animals like warthogs may put up a fight, using strong tusks and tough skin to protect themselves.

• Intimidating prey: Bigger creatures like buffalo and giraffes are difficult to take down, so they’re more like rare treats in the lion world.

In “Big Cats 24/7,” you’ll see the Xudum pride hunt zebras, tsessebes and more. But you’ll also see how difficult it is to be a lion tackling a prey animal that wants to survive just as badly as you do.

Fortunately, these big cats come prepared. Their strategies are clever, careful and surprisingly complicated — and they cover a lot of variables, too.

For example, one crucial factor in a lion hunt is the number of hunters. Lions may work together in groups of around eight to bring home the bacon, especially when hunting large, fast prey. Studies have shown that lions hunting together can have a 30% success rate — nearly double the chances of lions hunting alone, which are between 17% and 19%.

But it’s not that simple. Lions may have a better chance of catching prey in groups, but that also means there are more paws in the pot — and, therefore, less food for each big cat. On the other hand, a bigger team has an easier time protecting the kill from scavengers like hyenas. That means lions have to be strategic about their group dynamics.

In fact, they’re so strategic that you can actually see patterns in how they approach prey. Lions can use a specific formation involving two types of positions with names that may be familiar to rugby fans:

• “Wings”: These lions may break into two groups, circling the prey on its left and right to trap it as if in a pincer. They then close the pincer by chasing the prey toward the middle and their waiting friends.

• “Centers”: These lions hold their ground in the middle, allowing the wings to chase prey toward them before starting their ambush or attack.

Studies have shown that lions have “favorite” roles to play, often taking the same preferred position in every hunt. As it turns out, being creatures of habit has big perks: These kitties are usually more successful when they’re playing to those strengths.

If the “pincer movement” is successful, the winning lion suffocates its prey, sometimes taking a few bites before it’s fully dead. Others move in to share the snack, even if they didn’t join in on the hunt — a move that’s definitely cheating.

The good news is that, when it comes to a lion hunt, it’s all in the family. Lionesses do most of the heavy lifting, especially when smaller prey is involved, and tend to share food equally. Sub-adult males or dominant males join in more rarely — sometimes to steal the kill — and even cubs start to join in as they grow into their paws at around 18 months old. Over several days, the pride dines, hides the scent of their meal with dirt and dust, chases off thieves like hyena packs and lives to face another hunt.

Despite being able to take down animals between two and four times their weight, the lion population isn’t glowing with incredible hunters. Most of these hunts actually end in failure. Of course, the prey might leave, but the rumbling stomachs don’t — which is why a lion pride often has to get creative in the kitchen.

What Happens When Hunting Fails?

As you’ll learn in “Big Cats 24/7,” things don’t always go according to plan on the Okavango Delta. So, what happens when a furry warrior loses the fight?

If you’re a member of the Xudum pride, you know it’s time to go out and find a new way to put food on the table. Fortunately, there are three other techniques a failed hunter can turn to:

Scavenging

When you hear lions roar, it’s difficult to think of them as anything but proud and powerful. But even the mighty are no match for an empty stomach, which is why lions generally do more scavenging than hunting.

It’s true: These big kitties don’t mind picking at someone else’s leftovers. In fact, they might even prefer it. They’ll follow vultures to abandoned kill sites, taking the scraps for themselves. This is especially common between hyenas and lions, creating a uniquely collaborative (but not cooperative) relationship where each scavenges from the other.

This is a beneficial technique because it’s frequently low-risk. It may not be the tastiest, and it’s certainly not the most glamorous, but if it helps a lioness feed her hungry cubs, it’s well worth the departure from culinary excellence.

Fighting

When the going gets tough, the tough start fighting. That’s often the case when a lion needs a meal — even if that meal originally belonged to someone else. These big cats aren’t afraid to go up against other hunters to snag a snack. While there aren’t many animals that can match the prowess of a warrior lioness, some are too stubborn to let go without a fight.

Fighting may be one of the riskier techniques, as it can end with a wounded lion and no prey — but when it works, it’s great news for the pride. They get a meal they don’t have to track, chase or kill, all for the low price of a scuffle with neighbors.

Stealing

What’s easier than killing prey? Letting someone else do it for you, of course.

Lions are well-known thieves in the savannah, often taking food from smaller or less powerful predators that won’t put up a fight. There’s strength in numbers, but also in giant paws and teeth — which is why prides are often skilled at chasing off wild dogs and anyone else who got in the cafeteria line first.

Although it’s a tough break for the victim, this kind of theft is good news for male and female lions and their hungry cubs. It’s just one more way our big kitties prove that they’re masters of adaptation and strategy. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this often makes them a menace to their neighbors — including other big cats.

Lions vs. Other Big Cats: Hunting Methods

Although the Xudum pride is at the heart of “Big Cats 24/7,” you’ll learn more than just fun lion facts. You also get to see how these big cats interact with cheetahs and leopards — two other savannah predators whose hunting techniques are just as fascinating.

Here’s a closer look:

Cheetahs

As the world’s fastest land animal, cheetahs can run over 70 miles per hour. That, plus their aerodynamic build, specialized foot pads and extendable backbone, makes them incredible predators. Their main hunting method is to perch on termite mounds or in trees to locate their prey, stalk it to within about 60 feet and then give chase. That’s where the real magic happens — and you’ll see it all in “Big Cats 24/7.”

Despite their incredible speed, cheetahs actually rely more on their ability to slow down. They may only reach about 30 miles per hour during a chase, maintaining just enough control to pull off the tight twists and turns necessary to keep up with their prey. They tend to give up quickly, throwing in the towel after just a third of a mile. If they do manage to catch their prey (which happens about 40% of the time), they trip it with a carefully placed swipe of the paw and then suffocate it with a strong bite.

Unfortunately, the story doesn’t end there. Up to 10% of a cheetah’s kills are stolen by lions or hyenas, meaning these quick kitties have to work overtime to keep their meals on their own plates. The good news is that they’re just as fast at eating as they are at running, allowing them to eat as much as possible before losing the kill.

Leopards

If you think lions are smart, wait until you see the leopards of “Big Cats 24/7.” These clever cats hide in trees that have shed flowers or fruit, using this as bait for prey animals like impala. While the soon-to-be snack is munching away, the leopard leaps out of the tree and finishes the job with one quick bite.

This method is as dangerous as it is impressive. Leopards risk scaring off the prey or injuring themselves during the sneak attack — but if all goes according to plan, they can avoid the stalking and chasing that takes up so much of the other big cats’ energy.

When the kill is complete, leopards often carry it up a tree and hide it out of sight. This may keep the food safe from predators like hyena packs or wild dogs, which can often scare a leopard away, but it’s not much good against a crafty lion.

Fortunately, leopards are great at adapting. They’re great swimmers and capable runners, meaning they can often try different techniques depending on what prey is available. While less than 40% of their hunts are successful, they can eat protein in almost any form, so they’re well-equipped to survive whatever the savannah and its occupants can throw at them.

See Real Lions on the Hunt

From thrilling hunts to sneaky thefts, lions have a lot of ways to get food on the table. That’s a crucial part of their survival, as big families and bigger appetites demand a lot of prey — and that’s not to mention the risks of tangling with an animal that can bite, kick, scratch or slash. The good news is that these furry fighters are always ready to adapt to their environment and do what needs to be done.

Ready to meet the Xudum pride and the other big cats of the Okavango Delta? Watch “Big Cats 24/7” on PBS!