Ross Lionesses: The Warthog Specialists

Time and time again, we’ve found the pair of Ross Breakaway lionesses feasting on warthog. Don’t be fooled, these wild pigs pack quite a bit of weight and a fully grown male can weigh up to 100kg, which is a substantial meal for the two ladies! Armed with dangerous tusks and lightning speed, warthogs are not the easiest items on the menu, but true to lion behaviour, these females have specialised their hunting method, and the unfortunate warthogs of the Klaserie are constantly under fire!

Feeding on the remains of warthog carcass

This morning, guests at Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp set out to pick up on the lionesses after seeing them head out on a hunt last night. It didn’t take long to pick up on the girls who, in true fashion, had got themselves a warthog! Both females were working on a piece of the carcass right at the scene of the crime where we could see the warthog burrow had been dug up. A nice open clearing meant that both vehicles could pull in and watch the lions at close range as they crunched on their breakfast. Unexpectedly, a warthog that had escaped the lionesses’ attack stuck its head out of the torn-up burrow and made a break for it while the girls were distracted. Both lionesses glimpsed the pig and made a quick run at it, but it was gone in a cloud of dust.

Mother RB lioness watching the lucky warthog escape

Warthog skull in the jaws of RB lioness

RB lioness feasting on a warthog

The unfortunate warthog had clearly put up a fight and left the mother lioness with a gash in her cheek and the beginnings of a swollen jaw. The second lioness is still sporting a ‘lazy eye’, which is also the result of some foul play. There is always a risk of injury for lions when they take on their prey, and warthogs are some of the toughest fighters out there!

Vulture landing at the kill site

Tawny eagle in the wind

These two females used to be a part of the famous Ross Pride, and although they stuck to themselves, they often hunted and ate with the pride. As a mega pride of over 20 members, these lions targeted buffalo and other large species to satisfy their appetites, but since the pride fragmented (when the Trilogy arrived), warthogs have become the go-to meal for the Ross Breakaway females. The rest of the pride has also targeted warthog, but are not always successful – see this fantastic video of 7 Ross Pride members tirelessly digging at a warthog burrow only to lose out in the end.

Ross Breakaway lioness licking her lips after warthog meal