Lion Kills Heron at Amsterdam Zoo: Dangers of Landing Near a Lioness (Video)

One unfortunate heron has learned one life lesson a little too late: never test a lioness. The large bird landed in a lion enclosure at the Artis Royal Zoo in Amsterdam only to be stalked and then killed by a lioness.

Now, you can see the encounter all on film. The Youtube video has gone viral, depicting the final moments of the large bird. Reportedly taken by Dutch tourists, you can see how the heron lands next to a small pool. One of the lionesses, alerted to its presence, crouches low to the ground and quickly sneaks up on the bird. As it tries to take flight, though, the lioness bats the heron down before the prey is carried off by one of the cubs.

The video itself was actually taken during the summer last year, but it was only uploaded to the video sharing site this week.

While some may be shocked at the lionesses' display, it's not surprising that the large cat demonstrated these hunting techniques. In the wild, it's the lioness that bags the meal rather than the lion. The females will often hunt as a group, circling a herd before picking off the young, the old or the sick. They play an important role in strengthening herds as a whole and maintaining the genetic integrity of wild populations. Essentially, the lionesses cull animals that aren't fit for survival.

The heron may not have been in the wild, but it seems that "survival of the fittest" still applies. The bird was unable to take flight in time to avoid being hunted by the pride. Maybe the next bird will think twice before landing in a lion enclosure.

Check out the video below, originally appearing here.