![]() However, it won’t be safe from retaliation from the herd if it’s not quick enough. One might attempt to ambush a young elephant wading in the water at a drinking hole. ![]() A large croc is always on the lookout for an easy meal. Sometimes, the location of the African elephants’ predators gives them a decided advantage.Ī prehistoric, dangerous predator lurks in the rivers and waterways of Africa – the Nile crocodile. ![]() So a tiny elephant may not seem like such an ambitious target on a hungry day. Wild dogs usually feed on smaller mammals like warthogs, antelope and even the odd buffalo calf. They are extremely intelligent and efficient when it comes to hunting, so it’s best not to underestimate their cunning. On the upside, they can hunt in groups of 20 or more. They’re even smaller than hyenas, though, so it’s that much harder to succeed in that task. Like hyenas, on rare occasions large packs of wild dogs may attack very young elephants. They will wait until the animal is too weak or dies and take a chance to grab it when they can then. It’s more common to see hyenas hanging around a herd when they spot a sick or dying elephant. Finding a vulnerable baby elephant isolated from its herd or mother is a rare opportunity, though. Hyenas are small compared to lions, but they will try their luck in desperate times. So much so, that they do attack very young elephants. But they are very efficient killers, especially the spotted hyena species when hunting in packs. Hyenasįor a long time, we thought of hyenas only as opportunistic scavengers. The key to being successful is to separate a young or weak target from the herd. One or two might be able to achieve the task at hand. Male lions are much bigger and have a better chance, especially if they join a pride of females on a hunt. It still requires a lot of work, though, and a big group.Īs a predator of elephants, a male lion (or two) seems more likely to succeed because of his raw power. So a large group of lionesses might be able to take down a small elephant. It’s lucky then that when female lions hunt, they tend to hunt in groups. Single lions are still no match for a full-grown, angry female African elephant, powerful as they are. LionsĮlephant herds are very protective of their young. So what are the African elephant’s predators?Īnimals who stand a chance of taking on an elephant rely on at least one of two factors: power, or overwhelming numbers.Įven then, most will look for a young, sick or frail member of the elephant herd to attack. But from time to time, another animal hasn’t read the rules and attacks out of hunger and desperation. Which Animals Eat Elephants?Īs we mentioned, elephants have no natural predators in the wild. There’s also an unexpected “enemy” that elephants seem to fear – but more about that later.įirst, let’s talk about the four African predators in the wild that might have a chance of attacking, killing, and eating an African elephant. We know of four main candidates in this regard. ![]() Only the most powerful and opportunistic will have a chance of succeeding as an African elephant’s natural predator. That doesn’t mean that other animals don’t try. Chances are, they’re going to have a bad day if they get it wrong. When it comes to the food chain, remarkably few other species fancy attacking an elephant. Do Any Animals Kill Elephants?Īfrican elephants have no natural predators… officially. We don’t generally think of elephants as prey. They are also incredibly powerful and can overturn cars, destroy large patches of land and deal decisively with any trouble from other animals and people. It’s difficult to describe how enormous and imposing an African elephant is, especially to someone who has never seen one in person.Ī bull elephant can stand more than three meters tall, and weigh up to six tonnes. ![]()
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