Why do African lions dare to hunt wild buffalo weighing nearly 1 ton but do not dare to hunt rhino?

Although African lions are known as the "king of all species" and are powerful predators, in reality, they are shy of rhinos .

In 2015, in Kenya, Africa, three rhinos suddenly became ferocious and madly rushed into a herd of lions, resulting in two lions being killed and three injured. However, just three days later, the lions, who had suffered heavy casualties, gathered and attacked a herd of buffalo. Through their cooperation, they killed a male wild buffalo weighing nearly 1,000 kg. So why do lions dare to hunt buffalo but are shy about rhinos? 

In fact, the rhinoceros is the second largest land animal in Africa , second only to the African elephant. Their fighting power is extremely great. Even elephants don't dare to chase and fight when they go crazy.

Rhinos have rough skin and thick meat, able to withstand impacts extremely well. The skin on their body is like a hard armor, although not as thick as an elephant, but still more than 3 cm. Meanwhile, the defense ability of wild buffalo is much worse. First of all, wild buffalo skin is not hard, the fat layer under the skin of wild buffalo is very thin, so their defense ability is very poor. The important thing is that the skin of the buffalo's neck is very thin and can be said to be completely defenseless, so the lion has a chance to kill it with just one blow.

In the animal world, strength is always a measure of existence, and the rhino's strength is second only to the elephant, because the animal's strength is proportional to its size. When a rhino matures, its maximum length can reach 4 meters and weigh up to 2.3 tons, equivalent to a small truck.

In a single battle, they can completely crush lions and buffaloes. Compared to African buffalo, their maximum weight can only reach 1,000 kg, which is less than half of a rhino, so it cannot be compared to a rhino in terms of strength. 

Adult white rhinos can weigh up to 3 tons, 3-4 times more than male lions. This enormous size gives rhinos a significant advantage in strength and defense. Rhino horns can be up to 1 meter long and sharp as a knife, strong enough to cause serious injury or even death to a lion if hit.

A normal rhino can reach a maximum speed of 52km/h, not too much slower when compared to a wild buffalo. This is because the rhino's hind leg muscles are extremely developed, so they can accelerate very easily. Therefore, they are known as the fastest mammals in the weight category of over 1,000kg. 

According to calculations by zoologists, the maximum impact force of a 2,000-pound rhino can be up to 8 tons. Therefore, if a lion is hit by this blow, it will definitely be seriously injured, or even die.

Rhinos are ready to attack enemies with their horns and front legs. They are capable of delivering powerful and dangerous blows. Rhino skin is thick and tough, making it difficult for lions to bite and tear . Therefore, fighting with rhinos carries a high risk of injury to lions , including being stabbed by the horns, trampled, or injured by strong blows.

Although rhinos are herbivores, their horns are very strong. According to zoologists, the length of rhino horns is generally more than 90 cm and they can grow 7.6 cm per year as adults. 

The main component of rhino horn is keratin, so its texture is very hard. Although it looks rough, it is extremely sharp, so it is extremely strong and can be deadly. Every year, no one knows how many animals are killed by rhino horns. 

Compared to rhinos, wild buffaloes are easier to hunt, less dangerous and provide the same amount of food.

German zoologist Elenst once said: The reason rhinos have strong fighting power is because their IQ is very low . Simply put, the rhino is a fool, has a very hot temper and does not understand fear.

Some intelligent animals such as lions and leopards know how to bully the weak and fear the strong. They will actively choose prey with weak fighting ability to attack. However, when encountering dangerous animals like rhinos, they will choose to run away because they are not stupid enough to dare to fight with rhinos. That is a sign of high IQ.

Rhinos are different. Their brains are very small and they do not understand fear or pain, so as long as someone dares to provoke them, they will fight to the death, especially male rhinos, even if they are seriously injured, will fight to the death. together. 

Lions often hunt in groups, coordinating attacks on prey. However, this tactic is less effective when facing rhinos due to the rhino's superior size and strength.

For the above reasons, African lions often prioritize hunting easier and less dangerous prey, instead of risking confrontation with rhinos . However, in rare cases, lions can cooperate to take down rhinos, especially old, weak or injured rhinos.