This is the moment a clan of hyenas was chased off as they tried to kill a lioness in Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Park.
A group of tourists on safari watched on as around a dozen hyenas ganged up on the larger and more powerful lioness.
Briefly, the hyenas were in charge of the conflict, forcing the lioness to retreat and even forcing her to the ground in the dramatic footage.
The rest of the lioness’s pride storm to her rescue in Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Park
This is the moment the hyenas bring down and attempt to kill the lone lioness
The lioness appears to be under serious pressure as the massed ranks of hyenas attack
However, perhaps alerted by the chorus of screeching from the hyenas, the rest of the lioness’s pride roar to her assistance.
This prompts 30 seconds of furious fighting, and despite being outnumbered, the lionesses soon force the hyenas into retreat, in the video which was shot by Pareet Shah.
Later footage shows one of the lionesses carrying a dead hyena which was killed during the skirmish.
Shah said: ‘Our chief guide Bernard Tompoi spotted the Marsh Pride running towards a few hyenas.
‘The hyenas didn’t make a run in time and three young lions got hold of a hyena pup and killed it within a few seconds.
“They didn’t eat it but just played with it for a few minutes before walking off. However as they were walking off, the hyenas were now back in big numbers (over 25 of them within less than 3-4 minutes) and they had cornered one lioness and started brutally attacking her with intent, wounding her.
‘She had to wait for a while before help came to her in the form of the rest of the pride.
‘When the rest of the pride came, they nearly got a couple of the hyenas. Luckily for the lioness, she escaped death.’
Following the skirmish, one lioness is spotted carrying a dead hyena
