It’s the lucky prey that gets away, as cheetahs are fast, but only over relatively short distances. Not surprisingly, they can boast up to a 58% success rate on their hunts. Many nature documentaries have shown us the amazing action in slow motion as cheetahs clock up to 75 mph on camera. The reason is the incredible grace with which the speedy cheetah chases down its target. The cheetah challenges the lion as the most famous of the African big cat predators. It drags prey up to half its weight into the branches of a tree to avoid having it nabbed by scavengers and thieves like the lion. The leopard may not look as intimidating as the lion, but it is extremely powerful – pound for pound the strongest predator on the continent. Kill rates of up to 38% are reported, especially in Southern Africa. The gorgeous leopard is a bashful creature, and you’d be lucky to see one on a safari. It’s estimated that they have a 33% success rate at whatever they target – which isn’t bad at all! For some context, compare that to the elusive leopard. So let’s not disregard this fearsome-looking powerhouse. In the Kruger National Park, rangers estimate that at least half their food is self-acquired.
They can acquire up to 75% of their own food by hunting and killing it. Hyenas are indeed opportunistic scavengers, but also very efficient killers when they need to be. Many will argue that hyenas are scavengers and not hunter animals. Let’s continue with an unexpected and somewhat disputed contender – the hyena. Yes, lions will muscle in and steal the prey of other predators. They’re probably on the wrong side of the curve because they’re notoriously lazy, can’t really run over long distances, and prefer to steal others’ fruits of their labor. In a pack – led by females – they’re slightly more successful at up to 25% success. Lions hunting solo have dismal success rates at under 19%. While you would certainly lose a fight, they are not prolific hunters at all, compared to some others on the continent. LionĪ lion’s reputation as an apex predator may well be a little undeserved. Let’s look at the big African predators with the highest hunting success rates. Which of these predatory animals is the most efficient hunter? Which predators hunt alone and which do their deeds in packs? Hunting Success Rates Over an Apex Predator Lifespan As prey becomes their means to survival, the mythical ‘circle of life’ essentially gets to play out in real-time. There are several species of big cats and dog families roaming the savannah and veld. The very lucky get to see wild animals that hunt, hopefully just as they take down their prey. Nature lovers from all over the world regularly flock to destinations in Africa, hoping for a glimpse of these marvels of nature on a safari drive. African predators are truly beautiful to behold.
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