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Hundreds of buffaloes drowned in the Chobe River after being chased by a pride of lions. (Serondela Lodge)
Hundreds of buffaloes drowned in a river in southern Africa in a desperate attempt to escape the pride of lions.
The graphic images show dozens of buffalo carcasses floating in the river. Other images show people carving animal remains for meat.
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The Serondela Lodge in Namibia on Thursday released a video of dead buffaloes on its Facebook page. The Lodge is located on the Namibian side of the Chobe River that separates Namibia from its southern neighbor, Botswana.
Officials estimate that 400 buffaloes died in drowning en masse. (Serondela Lodge)
"Yesterday morning, we witnessed a tragedy that occurred a few kilometers west of the lodge, on the shores of the Namibian side of the Choberiver River," said the lodge. A large herd of about 1,000 buffaloes was chased by lions to the Chobe River, he explained. However, the shore of the Namibian side of the river was too high for buffalo to grow. "They drowned after who knows how long and through how much panic, stress and pain," said the lodge.
The Lodge, which opened in March 2018, faces Chobe National Park, located in Botswana, on the other side of the Chobe River. The area is known to be a "major elephant corridor" and a place where lions hunt their prey, according to the Lodge's website.
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"Initial investigations by authorities on both sides of the Botswana-Namibia border suggest that an unusually large herd of buffalo was grazing in Namibia after being trampled into the Chobe River," the ministry said. Environment of Botswana in a statement released Wednesday. "The cause of the miscarriage is still uncertain and under investigation.However, early indications are that they were being chased by a pride of lions."
Buffalo carcass in the Chobe River. (Serondela Lodge)
The authorities estimate that more than 400 animals drowned in the river. "The carcasses have been largely removed, most being harvested by community members living along the river in Namibia," added the Ministry of Environment.
The ministry said massive drownings are not unusual in the Chobe River. However, Simone Micheletti, owner of Serondela Lodge, told the BBC that the extent of this week's massive drowning was surprising. Before this week's incident, he became aware of around 50 buffaloes.
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Micheletti said he heard roaring lions Tuesday night and saw dead buffaloes float in the Chobe River the next morning.
Local people cut buffalo carcasses for meat. (Serondela Lodge)
The cloudy conditions that blocked the moonlight Tuesday night may have contributed to mass drownings, according to Micheletti, who noted that the buffaloes may not have been able to see.
Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers
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