Lion bearded in its own Perth!
January 26th 2008 06:31
There was rustling in the tall savannah grass - not that the well built antelope grazing intently noticed it. And the rustling was not just at one point either. Streaks of mane, rippling tawny muscles and twitching black tufted tails were to be seen all around the antelope. The lions were a well knit team. The season was going well for them as had the previous ones too. They had beaten all comers easily and since this team had banded together, the pride had roared its domination many times - 16 to be exact.
Legend has it that there was once a wise and old leader of this same pride many seasons ago who had led them to 16 straight successful hunts on the savannahs around here. The mangy and slightly lean and mean looking leader of the pride - Punter - was a street-wise male. It did not look very big but had enough fight to make up for two full grown lions. Punter was all stringy muscle and tearing teeth honed to a sharp point with lightning reflexes to boot. And if there was one thing Punter wanted to do, it was to engrave his own name on the legend. He wanted to be the lion that led its pride out to the 17th consecutively successful hunt. It was not that the pride was hungry - it was never that for this pride. The thrill was in the chase and the kill, not in the consumption of it.
While Punter crouched with shoulder blades rhythmically bobbing up and down, his mind was still whirring - with events, happenings and even the aftermath of the last hunt. It was not all easy going last time. There were moments when he had thought that the hunt might not have been successful. It so happened that the prey they were chasing, and which had gotten quite a headstart, got distracted by a couple of bull elephants coming out of seemingly nowhere. This distraction and the resultant momentary hesitation on the part of the prey was enough for the pride to capitalize on. Punter, on the last hunt was lagging behind a bit, uncharacteristically. But Pup - a young and eager male widely tipped to take over from Punter some day - knew no fear or hesitation. Pup charged in and without even thinking about the proximity of the two elephants, he flew for the throat of the prey and when the dust settled, he had gotten the jugular without fail and the elephants had sidled off to a slightly more serene part of the grassland. Punter came in panting and made short work of the kill. It was he who had put Pup up in front this time and everybody knew it. Pup maybe one for the future but the present belonged to Punter and he made sure everybody knew that. The triumphalist roar that he let out after that kill scattered even the ever persistent hyenas off - only for a while, though. They were back to their trailing ways soon, with a grumble about loud throated lions who celebrated far too much for too little an achievement.
Punter shook his head, clearing it of these thoughts of past glory and got himself ready for the chase, the pincer movement of the pride and the final lunge which would bring down the prey. The pride was not at its quietest and its most efficient today and consequently the big antelope had gotten wind that something was afoot. The antelope was not big and well grown for no reason. This was a veteran of many scares and those many near escapes from sure death had given it an air of unmistakable nobility and an easy grace, even allowing for the piercing intensity of its gaze and the ever present twitch of its tail and ears. It knew that making a move to escape a moment too soon could get it undone. The antelope also knew of the pride's last hunt and how but for the elephants, the chase would have proved futile. There were no elephants or any other distractions nearby today.
The antelope knew that it needed to lead the pride on, allow them to make the first move and then make good on its escape leaving behind dust and heat in the face of the predators. It was not easy - it was never easy on this little piece of grassland known as Perth and it knew this fact very well. An ever present pack of hyenas in the far distance did not think that the antelope stood a chance. So too thought the vultures circling far above. They were waiting for the antelope to fall because they knew that this antelope, when it fell, would have enough meat left over for them after the pride had had its fill. The antelope never deals with the scavengers and did not think much of what these beasts thought of its prospects. It had a plan in mind and was confident enough of executing it to perfection. So, it lowered its head into the grass but kept its senses alert at the same time - allowing the predators to think that it would now be vulnerable to an attack. It slowly quelled the twisting tail and twitching ears - giving more reason for the pride to think that the antelope was unaware of their presence.
Punter, for once, failed to read these signs for what they actually were. He took a deep breath into his cavernous lungs, braced his hind legs for the lunge and then leaped forward, out of cover, a few metres ahead of the antelope cutting into the escape route of the antelope. Seeing Punter, Pup and all the other members of the pack charged forward too - now diverging on the still calmly bent antelope. They did not miss the fact that this antelope was a magnificent specimen - its horns had innumerable rings and it wore proud marks of several past run-ins - all superficial and none more than skin deep. It was not young but it certainly knew the ways of this world and had won such battles before - otherwise it would not stand before them so big, so tall and so elegant and self possessed. Curiously or not, this enraged the lions a lot more.
The antelope did not need all the elaborate bracing of hind feet for its spring. It turned and ran in the one direction that the pride would have least expected it to go. It streaked directly toward the onrushing Punter with its horns down. This surprised every one in the pride. But they were confident that the antelope was now heading directly into the jaws of death and redoubled their efforts to center in on the quarry. Lions from all directions were now converging towards the antelope and Punter.
This now was the moment of its life for the antelope. And though Punter might not know it, this might very well be the pivotal moment in his life too. The big antelope with bounding leaps raced towards the powerful lion with head down and horns lowered. Lions, like other predators of the wild, are very much creatures of habit. And though the worldly wise Punter did not let it be known to the rest of the pride, he was shocked out of his skin to see this lowly antelope charging him. At once this enraged him and sowed seeds of doubt within his mind. We will never know whether it was the rage or the doubt which made him reduce some speed when close to grappling with the antelope. The antelope, now that it had set its plan in motion, did not show the slightest hesitation. It only had to get past Punter - the rest of the pride had no chance of getting at it if it successfully evaded the leader. Still with horns lowered, it streaked toward the leader of the pride. Just a few yards in front of the great beast, it feinted right and then left - causing that momentary doubt in the mind of even that seasoned hunter. Then with a manoeuvre which would leave the lions, the hyenas and even the vultures shaking their head in disbelief, it lifted off from the ground, smoothly in one motion and cleared Punter - just about escaping the crunch of the closing fangs. But the antelope was not done yet. The oppressed do not get many chances to get back at the oppressors - and this was one chance not to be passed up on. So, while in air, just after the great lion had gnashed its teeth ineffectually - all this in the blink of an eye - it smartly struck its hind leg on the snout of the great beast and bounded up and away behind the lion.
The dust thrown up by the onrushing Punter, the feints of the antelope and then Punter's vain last minute attempt at lunging up to catch the prey, was almost a thick screen now. Eager lions tearing in from all parts of the grassland converged on Punter - only to come to a bone jarring halt at the last minute - seeing that it was their leader and not the prey they sought, who lay behind that dust screen.
And their leader was smarting - not just from defeat but also from a bright and round, red bruise on his snout planted by the antelope's cloven hooves. Punter would certainly hunt and hunt well tomorrow and the days after that but the legend would not be his. The 17th successful hunt would remain unconquered. Amidst the raucous, but at the same time disbelieving laugh of the far off hyenas and the impatient cawing of the vultures circling above, Punter closes his eyes and regroups his energy. This skirmish may have been lost but the image of that antelope not just escaping but also striking him a blow - which may not have maimed him but certainly has him branded - remains on his eyes long after the hunt.
The antelope is running free - for now. And the pride assembles under their usual Acacia tree to rest under the sparse shadow that it provides from the searing sun - eyeing the antelope and planning the gruesome things that they would do to it, tomorrow.
Legend has it that there was once a wise and old leader of this same pride many seasons ago who had led them to 16 straight successful hunts on the savannahs around here. The mangy and slightly lean and mean looking leader of the pride - Punter - was a street-wise male. It did not look very big but had enough fight to make up for two full grown lions. Punter was all stringy muscle and tearing teeth honed to a sharp point with lightning reflexes to boot. And if there was one thing Punter wanted to do, it was to engrave his own name on the legend. He wanted to be the lion that led its pride out to the 17th consecutively successful hunt. It was not that the pride was hungry - it was never that for this pride. The thrill was in the chase and the kill, not in the consumption of it.
While Punter crouched with shoulder blades rhythmically bobbing up and down, his mind was still whirring - with events, happenings and even the aftermath of the last hunt. It was not all easy going last time. There were moments when he had thought that the hunt might not have been successful. It so happened that the prey they were chasing, and which had gotten quite a headstart, got distracted by a couple of bull elephants coming out of seemingly nowhere. This distraction and the resultant momentary hesitation on the part of the prey was enough for the pride to capitalize on. Punter, on the last hunt was lagging behind a bit, uncharacteristically. But Pup - a young and eager male widely tipped to take over from Punter some day - knew no fear or hesitation. Pup charged in and without even thinking about the proximity of the two elephants, he flew for the throat of the prey and when the dust settled, he had gotten the jugular without fail and the elephants had sidled off to a slightly more serene part of the grassland. Punter came in panting and made short work of the kill. It was he who had put Pup up in front this time and everybody knew it. Pup maybe one for the future but the present belonged to Punter and he made sure everybody knew that. The triumphalist roar that he let out after that kill scattered even the ever persistent hyenas off - only for a while, though. They were back to their trailing ways soon, with a grumble about loud throated lions who celebrated far too much for too little an achievement.
Punter shook his head, clearing it of these thoughts of past glory and got himself ready for the chase, the pincer movement of the pride and the final lunge which would bring down the prey. The pride was not at its quietest and its most efficient today and consequently the big antelope had gotten wind that something was afoot. The antelope was not big and well grown for no reason. This was a veteran of many scares and those many near escapes from sure death had given it an air of unmistakable nobility and an easy grace, even allowing for the piercing intensity of its gaze and the ever present twitch of its tail and ears. It knew that making a move to escape a moment too soon could get it undone. The antelope also knew of the pride's last hunt and how but for the elephants, the chase would have proved futile. There were no elephants or any other distractions nearby today.
The antelope knew that it needed to lead the pride on, allow them to make the first move and then make good on its escape leaving behind dust and heat in the face of the predators. It was not easy - it was never easy on this little piece of grassland known as Perth and it knew this fact very well. An ever present pack of hyenas in the far distance did not think that the antelope stood a chance. So too thought the vultures circling far above. They were waiting for the antelope to fall because they knew that this antelope, when it fell, would have enough meat left over for them after the pride had had its fill. The antelope never deals with the scavengers and did not think much of what these beasts thought of its prospects. It had a plan in mind and was confident enough of executing it to perfection. So, it lowered its head into the grass but kept its senses alert at the same time - allowing the predators to think that it would now be vulnerable to an attack. It slowly quelled the twisting tail and twitching ears - giving more reason for the pride to think that the antelope was unaware of their presence.
Punter, for once, failed to read these signs for what they actually were. He took a deep breath into his cavernous lungs, braced his hind legs for the lunge and then leaped forward, out of cover, a few metres ahead of the antelope cutting into the escape route of the antelope. Seeing Punter, Pup and all the other members of the pack charged forward too - now diverging on the still calmly bent antelope. They did not miss the fact that this antelope was a magnificent specimen - its horns had innumerable rings and it wore proud marks of several past run-ins - all superficial and none more than skin deep. It was not young but it certainly knew the ways of this world and had won such battles before - otherwise it would not stand before them so big, so tall and so elegant and self possessed. Curiously or not, this enraged the lions a lot more.
The antelope did not need all the elaborate bracing of hind feet for its spring. It turned and ran in the one direction that the pride would have least expected it to go. It streaked directly toward the onrushing Punter with its horns down. This surprised every one in the pride. But they were confident that the antelope was now heading directly into the jaws of death and redoubled their efforts to center in on the quarry. Lions from all directions were now converging towards the antelope and Punter.
This now was the moment of its life for the antelope. And though Punter might not know it, this might very well be the pivotal moment in his life too. The big antelope with bounding leaps raced towards the powerful lion with head down and horns lowered. Lions, like other predators of the wild, are very much creatures of habit. And though the worldly wise Punter did not let it be known to the rest of the pride, he was shocked out of his skin to see this lowly antelope charging him. At once this enraged him and sowed seeds of doubt within his mind. We will never know whether it was the rage or the doubt which made him reduce some speed when close to grappling with the antelope. The antelope, now that it had set its plan in motion, did not show the slightest hesitation. It only had to get past Punter - the rest of the pride had no chance of getting at it if it successfully evaded the leader. Still with horns lowered, it streaked toward the leader of the pride. Just a few yards in front of the great beast, it feinted right and then left - causing that momentary doubt in the mind of even that seasoned hunter. Then with a manoeuvre which would leave the lions, the hyenas and even the vultures shaking their head in disbelief, it lifted off from the ground, smoothly in one motion and cleared Punter - just about escaping the crunch of the closing fangs. But the antelope was not done yet. The oppressed do not get many chances to get back at the oppressors - and this was one chance not to be passed up on. So, while in air, just after the great lion had gnashed its teeth ineffectually - all this in the blink of an eye - it smartly struck its hind leg on the snout of the great beast and bounded up and away behind the lion.
The dust thrown up by the onrushing Punter, the feints of the antelope and then Punter's vain last minute attempt at lunging up to catch the prey, was almost a thick screen now. Eager lions tearing in from all parts of the grassland converged on Punter - only to come to a bone jarring halt at the last minute - seeing that it was their leader and not the prey they sought, who lay behind that dust screen.
And their leader was smarting - not just from defeat but also from a bright and round, red bruise on his snout planted by the antelope's cloven hooves. Punter would certainly hunt and hunt well tomorrow and the days after that but the legend would not be his. The 17th successful hunt would remain unconquered. Amidst the raucous, but at the same time disbelieving laugh of the far off hyenas and the impatient cawing of the vultures circling above, Punter closes his eyes and regroups his energy. This skirmish may have been lost but the image of that antelope not just escaping but also striking him a blow - which may not have maimed him but certainly has him branded - remains on his eyes long after the hunt.
The antelope is running free - for now. And the pride assembles under their usual Acacia tree to rest under the sparse shadow that it provides from the searing sun - eyeing the antelope and planning the gruesome things that they would do to it, tomorrow.
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Comment by Harry
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Zoo Parent
Great post
Comment by Balachandhran S
Tricolour Prism
Yes indeed, although there are many who believe that the luck was created by the antelope's daring and unconventional response to the pride of lions.
And yes, the antelope is certainly getting better over time - like vintage wine, you know