Now that’s a close-up! Inquisitive lions, hyenas and elephants are captured on fascinating GoPro footage
- Nature guide Roan Ravenhill attached a GoPro to his truck in Mala Mala, Africa
- He filmed lions, leopards and other wild animals interacting with his camera
- Roan claimed leopards, wild dogs and elephants are the ‘more curious’ animals
Amazing footage has emerged of how hyenas and other wild African animals react to a GoPro in an African nature reserve.
Nature guide Roan Ravenhill, 32, attached a GoPro to his truck in the Mala Mala Game Reserve, South Africa.
In the clip, Roan’s camera is approached by a selection of animals – including a lioness, elephant, hyenas and leopards.
Nature guide Roan Ravenhill, 32, attached a GoPro to his truck in the Mala Mala Game Reserve, South Africa. A lion cub sauntered towards the GoPro before kicking it, in the clip
Within the first few seconds, a lion appears and slowly wanders towards the equipment.
It pauses for a brief moment and leans in for a quick sniff of the machinery before abruptly stopping to check the coast is clear.
The animal then saunters off and a group of speckled hyenas dip their heads close to the ground and edge closer to the GoPro.
A herd of elephants amble along the barren road and narrowly miss crushing Nature guide Roan’s camera
Appearing inquisitive, they give the GoPro a knock with their noses.
Within seconds they move on and the footage reveals a lioness slowly wandering past Roan’s truck.
It is joined by a companion as they lurk around the barren grassland.
The front lioness makes a beeline for the camera and nudges it before leading the group past.
Meanwhile, a lion cub at the back appears more angered by the camera’s eye and gives it a whack.
The GoPro appears to have been knocked on its side and reveals a lion overhead. Roan admitted he enjoys leopards, wild dogs and elephants the most as ‘they are more curious and this makes for better interaction with the GoPro’
Moments later, the sun begins to set and a group of lanky hyenas meander down the deserted road.
A herd of elephants then amble along the nature reserve’s dirt-track and come inches from treading on the GoPro.
They miraculously pass without even knocking the camera.
Wild dogs creep towards the GoPro in the footage shared on December 24. Roan spoke fondly about his animal reactions and said each interaction has been different
Roan, of Vaalwater, admitted: ‘I enjoy leopards, wild dogs and elephants the most, they are more curious and this makes for better interaction with the GoPro.’
‘I’ve captured interactions with a few major predators like leopards, lions, lionesses with cubs and wild dogs, I’ve also had an encounter with elephants and what I found fascinating is that most of the elephants noticed the GoPro – they went up to it and inspected it, and even though they rushed passed it, none of them stepped on it. Not even once!’
He claimed every encounter was different and being able to witness it up close was ‘spectacular’.