Death is a sudden occurrence that befalls any creature on Earth. The most powerful and courageous species on Earth also face death. That is to say, lions can meet their end if they are attacked by groups of animal species, found in a weak state, or affected by a deadly disease.
In most cases, animal species tend to target weak cubs who can hardly defend themselves.
The animal species that can, by chance, lead lions to their demise include:
Humans
Death occurs if humans use their guns to shoot one of the lions. Guns are man-made weapons that are not selective and can injure or kill even their owners or the most powerful and courageous beings, such as lions.
In the United States, many humans hunt lions for consumption, which is legal, but in other countries, it is considered a crime since lions are often placed in zoos to attract tourists from around the world.
Hyenas
Some specialists in the animal kingdom suggest that hyenas are scavengers who feed on prey already hunted by lions. However, this is not entirely accurate, as a group of hyenas, whether spotted or unspotted, can hunt down a lion.
In many cases, these species target cubs, and on rare occasions, they even take down giant animal species like buffalos.
Hyenas are mammalian creatures that are naturally cannibalistic, characterized by large heads with long, thick, muscular necks, and powerful jaws, which provide them with the strongest bite.
They have longer front legs than hind legs and are known as great mothers, giving birth to 1-3 cubs with open eyes, intact teeth, and ready-to-run muscles.
This is particularly true for spotted hyenas, which have short fur in shades ranging between yellow and red, with a tuft of brown hair on their tails.
Other hyena species include the brown hyena, characterized by a long, shaggy dark brown coat, pointed ears, and a short tail. An adult brown hyena has a distinct cream-colored fur ruff around its neck.
The striped hyena has a broad head with dark eyes, a thick muzzle, and large, pointed ears. This species is slightly smaller than spotted and brown hyenas and is regarded as a physical incarnation of jinns.
Buffaloes
Buffaloes have stout legs supporting their ox-like bodies, with front hooves larger than the rear hooves. They are fantastic swimmers, work in teams, and can be dangerous, as some cases of African buffaloes killing people have been recorded.
They have massive weight, and a single lion cannot easily defeat them. A pride of lions may be able to take down a buffalo by biting its throat after knocking it to the ground, but they often return home with severe injuries that can sometimes lead to their deaths.
Leopards
Leopards typically hunt cubs since cubs are too weak to defend themselves, and leopards do this to survive hunger. They belong to the cat family, are solitary animals, and are fast runners found on several continents.
They have rosettes, or spots, all over their bodies, and their fur is notably softer on the belly than on the back.
Crocodiles
Crocodiles are formidable swimmers, and no other animal species can outmatch them. They are massive aquatic reptiles that kill their prey by drowning them in deep waters after giving them a powerful bite with their strong jaws.
They often prey on lions in the evenings when lions come to rest by a cool stream. Crocodiles can observe and target the lions until they hunt them down.
Crocodiles have powerful jaws with numerous conical teeth, short legs with clawed webbed toes, and a unique body shape that enables their ears, eyes, and nostrils to remain above the water surface.
They produce tears, cannot chew food, have special hearts, and swallow stones to aid digestion.
There are other predators that can also take down a lion, including hippopotamuses, porcupines, elephants, rhinos, and many others.
Death is inevitable, and lions are not exempt from this natural cycle of life.
