African lion: Wildebeest's deadliest foe

Another danger wildebeest are facing during migration is the African lion apex predator and king of the food chain.Each year the herd faces a harrowing journey at nearly every turn, but the Lion may be their most terrifying foe.Packing up to 270 kilograms of muscle, claw and snapping teeth - the top predator of the prairie makes an easy match for its prey.The wildebeest follow the seasonal rains - drawn by the bounty of lush wetland. It’s here that they take their longest stop of the journey - and their appearance is eagerly anticipated.But now it’s late in the year and the herds have yet to appear... so the lions are hungry. One has even been forced to depart for lack of food.But rains’ arrival brings good news for the lions. The wildebeest finally appear. But plentiful rains elsewhere this year means that the herd will have no need to linger. So the lions have no choice but to launch an immediate attack.They seek out lone and vulnerable prey. The pride hunts as a team - using cunning and coordination to make for fearsome and lethal efficiency. One lioness stalks boldly forward, while others break away. In this way, they cover as much ground as possible. Suddenly one leaps into action, and her poor victim is quickly, but brutally dispatched. One life passes, so that another may go on... the circle of life continues.But this victim is just one of many, and the majority of the herd charges-on through the swirling dust. These are the lucky ones and, for now at least, this danger has passed.But this is just the beginning and we will continue to follow as they battle through the heat and hardship of the African savannah.