9781422276341

from behind, its sharp claws and strong teeth biting into flesh. The sheer weight and power of the predator are enough to knock the prey down, and once on the ground it will be killed by a powerful suf- focating bite to the throat. The other lion- esses are soon upon it, and once rested they will begin to tear into the flesh. Their feast may not last long, however, as a big male lion, who will have watched the hunt from a safe distance, now pushes in to eat his fill, driving the females away. Onlywhen he is satisfiedwill the lionesses be able to reclaim their hard-won meal.

Soon peace will return to the plains, and the herds of grazing animals resume their feeding as if nothing happened. Vultures, hyenas, and jackalsmake short work of what little remains of the carcass. The lions will have played their part in the maintenance of life on the African plains; by singling out weak or sick ani- mals the predators help to retain healthy populations of grazers. The delicate bal- ance of life on the plains continues. These superb hunters are as important to the well-being of their prey as the prey ani- mals are to them.

One of the world’s most feared predators is the tiger; stealth, speed, power, and fearsome claws and teeth combine to make this Sumatran tiger a supreme hunter.

Renowned as one of the fastest of all land mammals, the cheetah is the swiftest and most agile of the big cats, capable of bursts of speed that can outpace a gazelle.

5