Asymmetrical Information

A pack, not a herd, right?

It's the cirrrcle of life....

Talk about an unacceptable dining experience.

Talk about an unacceptable dining experience.

I think this would be the only instance one can say, "The lions dominated the first half, but Buffalo came back for the victory."

It was a surprise that the calf was still alive after being dragged from the water, but I probably should not have been so surprised. In the last few years, on the science channels, I have seen more and more often that predators often kill their prey in the process of eating them rather than before. As a child, I never saw that aspect of it.

Oxen KICK MUCH ASS

There's a reason the Cape Buffalo is considered the most dangerous animal in Africa.

Robert Heinlein once said (through Lazarus Long) that "It may be better to be a live jackal than a dead lion, but it is better still to be a live lion. And usually easier." Apparently, though, not always easier.

That was both funny and amazing.

Golly, and I thought I'd had a bad day.

Wow, it's incredible!

Ditto on the wow factor.

I wonder why animal-rights activists never seem to complain when animals violate each other's rights.

I think this would be the only instance one can say, "The lions dominated the first half, but Buffalo came back for the victory."

Thanks, now I have to clean soda off my monitor.

Cats are evil.

Not often you hear Afrikaanse in this corner of the blogosphere.

Tyler Cowen has a paper on policing nature. Its worth a read. Anyway, some animal rights people do take it seriously. Though most of us don't really care that much when other human rights are violated. Also even if we choose to intervene in the really messed up places there's no guarantee of making things better. There's a case study on this right now in one of those dusty places.

Not often you hear Afrikaanse in this corner of the blogosphere.

Tyler Cowen has a paper on policing nature. Its worth a read. Anyway, some animal rights people do take it seriously. Though most of us don't really care that much when other human rights are violated. Also even if we choose to intervene in the really messed up places there's no guarantee of making things better. There's a case study on this right now in one of those dusty places.

Just listen to all the background chatter. Takes away a lot from the viewing experience.

Indiaholic:
The background chatter is understandable.
If I had been there, I know I would have been "Oh My God"-ing a few times myself.

Very interesting.

But what's with all the cheering for support of the oxen? Doesn't this just mean the lions go hungry? Why is that the preferred outcome here?

I didn't even see the crocodile until the second time through.

But what's with all the cheering for support of the oxen? Doesn't this just mean the lions go hungry? Why is that the preferred outcome here?

People always root for the undercow.

Ian,

Oh, let me take a wild guess: you are one of those Canadians that take part in the seal clubbing hunt?

I like the croc that tried to get in on the entire deal. And he was very large - could have easily taken one of the cats down. Explains why none of the animals seemed all that eager to get wet. Real question was any of the animals hurt bad enough that they will die anyway or be easy pickings for the jackels...

Ian,

Oh, let me take a wild guess: you are one of those Canadians that take part in the seal clubbing hunt?

I've raised cows and (domesticated) cats. That kind of experience does incline one to cheer for the cats - except I suspect that the Cape Buffalo is not at all like the stupid hunks of meat that were scarfing up hay and grain in our barn.

"Don't kid yourself Timmy. If a cow ever got the chance he would eat you and everyone you care about."

Considering the people filming this epic tale of the foodchain tried to scare the lions off by starting up their car a few times, I was rather hoping the cats would be having some veal.

People who are afraid of nature taking its nasty, brutish course should not be out there filming it.

Asymmetric information, indeed.

So what are the beasties doing in the meantime, before they conduct their counterattack? A cost-benefit analysis? A Hamilton-Trivers-Maynard Smith analysis of altruism and genetic degrees of separation? I'd love to have been a fly on the wall for that discussion.

And you can see the Collective Action problem! The oxen rush up to the lions but then they're all like "...you go first" "no,you go first" and most of them hesitate until one or two of them attack first.