Do Lions Kill and Eat Elephants? Myth Or Truth

Do Lions Hunt Elephants and? Do Lions Eat Elephants? Yes, Lions can eat elephants they are carnivores its obvious they feed on flesh. But Can Lions Kill Adult Elephants? Well, that depends on the situation there are a few circumstances. Lions usually make elephant calves their target. As they are slow and small, they make a perfect target for hungry lions. Therefore, most elephant groups protect them when they recognize the threat. 

Lions are the number one enemy of other animals in the jungle. Usually, females do the hunting and males protect the pride. Although they can hunt down their own, they still prey on smaller prey. They only try to kill an elephant if they are in more numbers. 

Female lions attack an elephant usually targeting old, sick, and small elephants. Moreover, they usually target females with shorter tusks. On the other hand, a lion has good strength to defeat a baby elephant. They attack the elephants from behind.

Can a Lion Kill an Elephant?

A lion alone cannot kill an elephant. 2 male lions can bring an elephant, however, this does not happen frequently. Most lions hunt in packs to kill their prey. 

Lions usually kill elephants by attacking them from behind. Initially, they cut off the air supply of elephants. This makes them suffocate and die. When hunting in packs, they have an advantage while killing the elephant. Still, it is difficult for them to hunt an adult elephant. 

A trunk is a good weapon for elephants to grab and throw the predator away. Therefore, lions usually try to protect themselves from the trunk. 

How many lions can kill an elephant?

• One lion vs one elephant – There’s no chance of the lion killing an elephant.
• Two lions vs one elephant – There’s no chance of the lions killing an elephant.
• Three lions vs one elephant – They cannot kill the elephant, but still, try to hunt it. 
• Four lions vs one elephant – There’s a chance. 
• Five lions vs one elephant – There’s a high chance. 

Which animal would win in a fight – a lion or an elephant?

There’s no definite answer to this question. Moreover, this depends on various factors like the size and age of both animals.

However, usually lions are more aggressive and powerful than elephants. Still, one lion cannot win a fight against an elephant. 

Additionally, an elephant is sturdy and can handle a lot of damage. Lions can kill an elephant by attacking the weak points, however, this would be a close fight. 

Key factors in a fight between an elephant and a lion

Size

We already know the size of a lion. Talking about elephants, they are 12ft tall. Moreover, they usually weigh 12,000 pounds and are 20 ft long. According to a-z animals, the largest elephant ever recorded weighed almost 12 tons. 

Teeth and bite power

Lions have 650 PSI bites. Moreover, they can easily dig 4-inch of their enemies. It is enough to break bones and kill them. On the other hand, elephants usually do not use their teeth as a defence. Moreover, their biting power is not that good. The reason behind this is quite obvious. They are herbivores.

Movement and speed

Elephants have a speed of 25mph. On the other hand, lions have a speed of 50 mph. Therefore, elephants do not match the speed of a lion. Lions can easily catch other animals around, including elephants. 

Sense of Lion

Lion recovery fund says that lions are the apex predators. In fact, they have great night sights and a good sense of smell as well. Moreover, they have excellent hearing capability. 

Elephants do not have that great aura. They can smell and hear from miles away, but they have poor vision. Hence, they are at risk of attacks by enemies. 

Offensive capabilities of Lion

Lions have sharp claws, good speed, and strong jaws that can easily hunt many animals. Elephants have heavy stomps and long tusks to kill animals that threaten them. 

Defences of Lion

Lions live in packs and are aggressive enough to attack animals. This defence scares off many animals. On the other hand, elephants are huge in size, can run quickly, and have thick skin.

Animals that can kill an elephant

Tigers

Tigers do not hunt in packs. They are solitary. When a tiger hunts, it stalks its prey rigorously.  Then, it pounces on the prey. A tiger hunts once in 8 to 9 days. It needs around 18 kg of meat to survive until the next hunt. This makes sense: a tiger killing an elephant. 

Rhinoceros

Rhinoceros usually fight over territory. However, in the case of elephants, elephants win the most. Elephants weigh 6 tons and are 12 ft tall. On the other hand, rhinoceros weigh 2 tons and are 6 ft tall. 

However, rhinoceros are 2 times faster than elephants and can strike with their horns. They can easily penetrate the horns into elephants’ skin. 

Crocodile

Crocodiles usually attack elephants when they live near the river. Crocodiles are very territorial and can attack anyone who disturbs them. They can easily bite off an elephant’s trunk.

In fact, the bite is so strong that an elephant can die of not being able to eat, drink, and breathe.

Wild dogs

Wild dogs have the ability to attract, defeat and kill an elephant. However, they choose to hunt in packs against adult animals. Moreover, they are very opportunistic hunters who surround an animal that roams in their area.

Hyenas

Hyenas are small and do not have many ways to an adult elephant. However, they can attack a baby elephant in packs. They have the potential to kill a baby elephant or eat it alive.

Can elephants kill lions?

Yes, it is possible for elephants to kill lions. This is mostly because of their size. An adult elephant weighs around five times more than an adult lion. 

Additionally, lions can hunt their prey for about one-quarter of their size. On the other hand, elephants prey on animals about 4 times their size. Moreover, elephants also have long tusks that protect them against other predators. 

Do humans consume elephants?

Yes, humans eat elephants. In fact, humans kill more elephants than lions. Although this practice is from the past, still some cultures consider elephants a delicacy. Moreover, humans also hunt elephants for ivory tusks. 

This ivory trade is responsible for many elephant deaths each year. Moreover, there is much awareness that tries to stop the eating and hunting of elephants. 

Final words

In conclusion, I would say that it is evident that both animals have the ability to kill each other. Both animals are symbols of power and royalty. Therefore, it is better not to compare them at all.

But, as a tradition, we call the lion the king of the jungle. So, it is most likely that a lion can kill elephants in certain circumstances. 

I hope you enjoyed the article. I will be back soon. Till then, stay connected. Thank you. 

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