We know the battle for survival happens everyday in the wild but seeing images of this lion being defeated by a buffalo was still truly remarkable. These incredible images were taken by amateur photographer Matt Armstrong-Ford, who works as a safari guide for Shenton Safaris in the region of Zambia, South Africa. He knew of the lion – the six-year-old cat who suffered from a skin disease called mange, (caused by parasitic mites), which probably caused the lion to be cast out from his pride.
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| Tossed around: A male lion is flung into the air after attacking a lone female buffalo in the South Luangwa National Park in Zambia |
The hour-long battle left both animals covered with blood, worn-out and with fatal wounds.
‘After this the lion managed to drag himself under a bush to lick his wounds. Both animals were covered in blood by the end,’ stated Mr. Armstrong. The lion finally succumbed to his injuries and died two days later, while the buffalo’s dead body, having failed to fight off infection, was found a few weeks later.
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| Starving: The hungry six-year-old lion was suffering from mange, a type of skin disease, and had become detached from his pride |
‘The fact that the lion was familiar to us and we had seen him in his prime made it very emotional to see him in the state he was in. By the end of the fight everyone was exhausted.’
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| Bloody battle: Dramatic images capture the lion biting and clawing at the buffalo’s mouth, the big cat’s face smeared with blood and dust |
