SANParks.org Forums

Morning All,

Animal behaviour might never be understood 100% in why certain species behave differently as what we are taught the way they should behave, that is the beauty of nature we all learn something new every day.

Regarding the fact that animals do see vehicles and tents etc just as objects is true, they for instance don’t know they are able to go through a tent, it would just be by accident and playing behaviour that they might tear a tent and only then realize they can get through it.

Regarding species chewing on vehicles etc, the reason could be that our human scent is all over the vehicle. Remember that whenever you touch any object your human scent comes off on it and it does smell like meat, therefore the specie might have smelled it and think it is food and then take a bite out of it or 'taste' it. Why they pick on certain vehicles is unknown (maybe the human scent is just more prominent). It could also be that fluids from meat etc might have dripped on the bumper......who knows.

We have taken note that on a few occasions that lions actually charge certain vehicles. After investigating these matters we have come to the conclusion that visitors to the park would do anything to get the perfect picture even if it means they would through oranges at a lion to get his attention or even batteries.
Where did our respect for Mother Nature go.......

Good morning KG

Thank you so much for explaining the Lion behaviour. It all makes sense re human scent or even meat spills on a bumper.

Yes totally agree with you in cases where people will do anything for a photo we've seen this happening at the Kruger Park!!

But on this occassion we can assure you that these Lions weren't encouraged for a photoshoot. It happenend so quickly.

Although a friend of ours managed to get photos of the Lions biting the vehicle and just as well as the owners of the car can show these as proof when making an Insurance claim.

Very interesting!
A long time ago we entered Kruger at Malalane and had billtong in the boot which enticed a male lion to bite and scratch the boot

Could also be due to residual smell from dead birds that are stuck behind cars grilles , also the many insects ?

KG - could it be territorial behavior??

I have seen with my own eyes how the lions in a private reserve took a bite and punctured a vehicle's tyre. I later chatted to the owner of the vehicle and asked if they had dogs. Yup, dogs likes to "mark their territory" against anything that enters their domain.

Made sure that the wheels and underside of my vehicle are kept "scent free" and never had a problem.

cheetah2111 thanks for that we definitely wont be putting biltong in the boot when we're at Crocodile Bridge in December

Thanks ndloti this is also very interesting indeed and makes sense

and avon vosloo my husband is of the same opinion that Lions detect dogs scent on tyres etc

On the 29th May we had just lef the Rosyntjiebos camp on the Nossob 4x4 Echo trail. About 30 minutes into the trail we came across 3 lionesses. (Adult and two almost fully grown cubs) The one "cub" showed interest in the guide's vehicle, but when he moved off she lost interest. One of the other "cubs" walked around the back of the Landy and came to play with a Tsamma melon right next to the drivers door. After a short while she stared me down then walked to the back of the vehicle, where she lay down at the rear tyre and took a swipe at the mudflap. The next second she took a bite and tore a strip from the top to bottom of the mudflap. I revved the engine and slowly moved forward. She then took the piece of mudflap and moved off into the grass, where they eventually disapeared. My Land Rover has a Soul... part of which is now in the Kalahari

Thats beautiful Defender TAZ

We definitely left our hearts behind...what an awesome place

I do hope that these Lions don't get out of hand.
In June 2010 South of Nossob (just North of the Marie's draai turnoff) we encountered around 6 lions which also didn't leave the cars alone. They tore off someone's mud flap and played with it tug-of-war.
The one lioness jumped over the front of my trailer between the car and the trailer. She then even took a bite at one of the door handles of my camping trailer. Bite marks still visible.

I think that Lions know which cars have soft bumpers and floppy bits that come off easily ... they probably just see it as a big mobile toy there to play with. I know Elephants rip up plastic water pipes just because they can. Just like we humans pop those plastic bubble wrap bubbles...
We have friends who have a cottage in the bush - they left some meat in the freezer which broke down - the local Hyenas smelt the rotting meat and chewed through the hardwood back door, got inside and chewed a hole in the fridge to get at the meat !!

Then again lion teeth marks on your trailer/4x4 bumper - priceless !

Welcome to the forum MiTQ's.

I suspect your lionesses were sub adult males, who seem to be undisciplined 'teenagers' in the Nossob area. They have been known to do their bumper thing at Cubitjie Quap, the next waterhole north of where you saw them, and I saw them going for tyres at Rooikop (just south of Nossob) last November. They had just destroyed the water pump and were playing with the ball when the cars arrived.

Just naughty boys!

Thanks Bush Baptist

So those "just naughty boys" are regulars in the area then Just goes to show how destructive they can be

Its been interesting reading everyones posts and experiences.

Must say we're rather relieved they didnt chew and play with our car

We stayed at Rooiputs campsite 1 on the 29th May and the 'long drop' has the front piece of the toilet seat chewed off!!! Its been roughly repaired with masking tape

Lions or Hyenas obviously been busy there as well

A couple of years ago north of Shingwedzi in Kruger , a young hyena started chewing on the rubber-end of my Landy's bumper and cracked the orange plastic signal light .
Then , during our next trip to Kruger , at a lion sighting , a huge male came up to our vehicle and started chewing on the top of mainlight/mudguard , leavings teeth/scratchmarks which are still visible

Friends had the same experience at Bitterpan - they woke during the night to a loud hissing noise. It was a tyre on their vehicle blowing off air after a lion toook a bite at it. Been told long ago to spray tyres and plastics Dyaroach every second day or so toe prevent this.

Always wondered whether there was something one could spray on the tyres and bumpers