Impala
Photo Credit: Latest Sightings

Impala are a very common sighting out in the bush, and that is because they are a food source for many predators; this Impala was not planning on being food today!

 

Greater Kruger, South Africa (30 July 2021) – An impala is a great food source for all our favourite big cats, hyena and wild dogs. They are often overlooked as a cool sighting because you always see them. However, they are most interesting when they alert calling or, sadly, being turned into food. This impala was not prepared to be food and outsmarted a big pack of wild dogs and a feisty hippo.

Often impala will take to the water to escape being hunted on land, and just as often, things lurking in the water make the escape unsuccessful. This time though, the impala got lucky and outsmarted all the big bad beasts out to get her.

Latest Sightings shared the incredible sighting. We are always glad to see a creature live to fight another day.

‘This incredible video shows how an impala managed to escape SIXTEEN African wild dogs by diving into a dam then sidestep a pod of grumpy hippos!

Ranger Daniel Hitchings, 24, was out guiding guests at the Thornybush Game Reserve in the Greater Kruger, South Africa, watching the wild dogs finish of a kill.

But right on cue, it seemed dessert had arrived in the form of an antelope that wandered into their territory for a drink at the waterhole and found itself surrounded.

With a giant leap, it clears the first wild dog but then realising it has no way out as the rest of the pack encircle it; the impala takes the decision to risks its life with the crocodiles.

It leaps in with two huge bounds until out of its depth and swims furiously for the other side but has taken the reptiles by surprise as it heads for the safety of the far bank.

But more danger lurks in the form of a pod of grumpy hippos lying in the shallows on the other side – and they are not in the mood to give the impala an easy way out.

But as one of the beasts makes a lunge for it, the bok pulls off a side-step a South African rugby team player currently 1-0 down to the British Lions team would be proud of.

It makes the successful swerve round the hippos and, with a hip-hip-hooray, is off into the African bush, having pulled off a quite incredible great escape against all the odds.

Guide Daniel from Johannesburg said: “For the impala to escape the wild dogs and then not got taken down by the crocodiles in there and get past the hippo’s was quite amazing.

“Sometimes luck is on your side, and sometimes it isn’t.  It was this impala’s day,” he said.

The impala can run over a short distance at up to 55mph, but the endangered African wild dogs, although slower, run at a constant 45mph until their prey is finally exhausted.

As their prey tires, they nip the legs and belly and flanks until they collapse.  But fortunately for this antelope, the canines cannot swim and were left behind hungry on the bank.’

Take a look at the video below.


Source: Latest Sightings
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About the Author

Tyler Leigh Vivier is a writer for Good Things Guy.

Her passion is to spread good news across South Africa with a big focus on environmental issues, animal welfare and social upliftment. Outside of Good Things Guy, she is an avid reader and lover of tea.

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