Predators’ most impressive prey items

[elosha11]

Have to put this great find from Ceratodromeus in here for Great White Sharks.

Feb 6, 2020 2:00:28 GMT 5 Ceratodromeus said:

holy moly


First observations of white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) attacking a live humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)



Abstract
To date, white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) feeding events involving large whales have largely been described only in terms of observed scavenging events. Scavenging occurs in all ecosystems and is usually associated with stochastic feeding events. In marine ecosystems, whale carcasses commonly provide these community-wide food web events. Whale carcasses are the single largest source of carrion in marine ecosystems, to the extent that they are thought to constitute an important part of large white shark foraging ecology, shaping many aspects of the life history of the sharks, including adult migrations. However, to date, no part of this white shark feeding event has been described involving a live whale. To the best of our knowledge, here we provide the first published description of white sharks attacking and killing a live humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae). The attack displayed novel behaviours, including evidence of the ‘bite and spit’ tactic, rarely described in non-pinniped-related white shark feeding events before and all part of a tactical timeline of an attack that is precise, deliberate and effective.
scihub.bban.top/https://doi.org/10.1071/MF19291

[Ceratodromeus]

Lampropeltis never dissapoints

[TigreFeroce9]

Single hyena downs an adult buffalo

[TigreFeroce9]

2 male lions killed a full grown rhino cow

Two male lions with their rhino kill

We also spotted a male lion in the tall grass and as we approached, we realized that two brothers had managed to kill a fully grown female rhino. Our guide, Pule, was beside himself because he didn't think that a pair of relatively inexperienced lions (they know all the lions in the reserve by name) could take down a rhino, but as he said, "Miracles do happen".



razaman.blogspot.com/2009/08/south-africa-2009-part-4.html

[TigreFeroce9]

The Killing of a Bull Muskox
by a Single Wolf

Although there are many reports in the
literature describing successful attacks of the
wolf (Canis lupus) on muskoxen (Ovibos
moschatus), the following observation of a
single, male wolf attacking and killing a
lone bull muskox is, to my knowledge, unique
[see Hone1 and Tenera for a review% The
killing was observed from a distance of approximately 1 mile, using a 15 x 60 spotting
scope, during a study of the behaviour of
muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus wardi) on Bathurst Island, Northwest Territories.
On 28 May 1968, a lone bull muskox
could be seen feeding on a river-bank in the
broad valley 5 miles west of Goodsir Inlet,
about 1 mile from a herd of 11 muskoxen.
At 2020 hours, I saw a wolf galloping
towards the bull from about 100 yards away.
The wolf ran swiftly along the snow, following the slight depression of the snow- filled river bed in his approach. He ran close
up behind and to the right of the bull, stopped
suddenly, as yet unnoticed, hesitated, then
darted aside as the muskox wheeled around
and charged. There followed a series of
charges with the wolf nimbly advancing and
retreating, circling around as the muskox
attempted to make contact. After several
such charges the muskox seemed to collapse
into a sitting position with lowered hindquarters. This posture lasted only a few
seconds and the bull rose again; meanwhile
the wolf remained standing, motionless, in
front of the bull. The bull continued
charging, wheeling around and running at
the wolf, forcing him to run out ahead to
avoid the horns.
By 2030 hours there were brief periods when both animals stopped and stood facing
each other for several seconds. At times the
muskox seemed to be slowing down and
would back away from the wolf rather than
charge towards him. Suddenly the wolf
grabbed hold of the bull's face for a few
seconds, but was shaken off. The sue of the arena became smaller as the wolf circled
constantly, the muskox wheeling around to
follow him. Again both stood, facing each
other, resting this time for 50 seconds. At
2047 the wolf again closed his jaws on the
face of the muskox, this time hanging on for
15 seconds. Then more nimble circling and
dodging and the wolf seized a hold again
but only for an instant, and when the animals separated a great patch of blood appeared on the head of the wolf. At 2100
hours again the wolf moved in close, keeping
low and avoiding the horns by coming
straight in, this time grabbing a secure hold
on the right eye orbit of the bull. The muskox
charged forward and backed off swinging
his great head vigorously side to side, only
after some time dislodging the powerful grip
of the wolf. At this separation the blood
could be seen spreading over the right boss
and entire face of the muskox, and over the
face of the wolf as well.
The wolf faced the muskox constantly,
bounding in with lowered forelegs, keeping
the head low and close to the face and nose of the bull. Since the wolf kept right in front
of the bull, each charge ended with a sharp
upward toss of the bull's head, rather than
the more dangerous sideways hooking of
the horns. Each time the muskox charged
forward, the wolf backed up, then instantly
followed in again, moving so closely with
the bull that they gave the impression of
being tied nose to nose. Several times the wolf stopped and stood
looking back over his shoulder or briefly
sniffing at he snow before renewing his
constant circling attack.
At 2110 hours, as the wolf moved around
past the muskox to the left, he suddenly
swung around and moved in to the bull's
left side, behind and below the horn, and
pulled the bull down. The wolf circled around
and moved in again with his head at the left
side of the throat and his right forepaw up
on the bull's shoulder. The muskox tried to
lift himself up, got up onto his foreknees
then collapsed. A second time the bull rose
onto his forelimbs and again fell while the
wolf stood motionless beside him. On the
third attempt the muskox rose onto his foreknees and wheeled his forequarters around
to face the wolf, tossing his head and horns
at the blood-spattered wolf. The wolf moved
again, circling around, and the bull, still supported by the front legs, swung his head at
the passing wolf, then fell, at this point still
holding his body upright.
At 21 13 hours, the bull's head remained
partially lifted although he now lay over on
his side; then as the wolf circled around
again, the bloody head lifted towards him
then flopped over onto the snow. The wolf began tugging at the hair and
wool on the dorsal side of the muskox,
pulling out mouthfuls of wool and dropping
them several feet away, using his paws to
free his jaws of the clinging wool.
By 21 15 hours he finished pulling out the
wool and began feeding on a section of
the back muscle over the ribs and next to the
vertebrae. At 2120 he moved around to the
left side and lay down on the snow, facing
the carcass. Then he moved in to the throat,
crouching down with his head in close and
began feeding, probably on the tongue and
area of the throat at this time. Then standing
back in the direction from which he had
again, chewing, he gazed for several minutes
come.
At 2140 hours the wolf walked away from
the carcass, stopped to urinate on a hummock some 100 yards away, and then trotted
&..&?wn the valley to the west.
Examination of the battleground showed
an area of trampled snow (only 2 to 3 inches
deep) extending out for approximately 30
feet all around the carcass. The face of the
muskox was covered with blood, the hair
torn out in the area between the eyes and
the right eye was torn out. The tongue and
hyoid area of the throat was also torn out
and eaten. These two areas plus the small
5-inch-square section eaten at the back were
the only parts of the animal damaged. The
nose and the legs were untouched.
The carcass was moved to our camp, 4
miles away and the wolf returned to feed on
the carcass each day for the next 4 days and
at least three other times during that summer (see frontispiece).
During the summer of 1969, the same
wolf (identified by comparing photographs
taken each year) accompanied by a female,
visited the carcass and fed on it briefly 6
times from June to August. Additional tracks
indicated that he wolves visited the area
several other times as well.
The age of the muskox as shown by horn
development and tooth wear is estimated to
be 5 to 6 years. On cleaning the skull it was observed that the right eye orbit had been
broken by the wolf during the attack and
tooth puncture marks were present at the
orbit's edge.

pubs.aina.ucalgary.ca/arctic/Arctic23-3-197.pdf

[panthera10]

Adult black rhino killed by puff adder

www.smithsonianchannel.com/videos/what-can-a-puff-adder-snake-bite-do-to-a-rhino/53277

[Supercommunist]

Crocodile rhino predation:

A second reported instance of crocodile predation on a
rhinoceros is presented in Capstick (1977). This attack was
witnessed by a group of vehicle-bound tourists photographing
wildlife at a waterhole “in a Tanzanian game park during the
late 1950s”. As described by Capstick (1977), a Nile crocodile
estimated to be 14’ long (4.2 m) “exploded from the water”
and seized the rostrum of a 4000 lb (1814 kg) female Black
rhinoceros as it lowered its head to drink. The initial phase
of the struggle is described as a “test of strength” between
the two animals; the rhinoceros strained to back away from
the waterhole while the crocodile attempted to draw the
rhinoceros into deeper water. Neither animal was able to
move for almost an hour, but eventually the rhinoceros began
“inching into the water”. Thirty minutes later when its head
was pulled beneath the water, the rhinoceros “rolled over in
a final flurry” and drowned. Presumably the crocodile then
began feeding on the carcass, although no further detail is
provided.

www.iucncsg.org/365_docs/attachments/protarea/32(2-76bd8f91.pdf