Viewers divided by gory Planet Earth II episode as a pride of lions struggle to take down a one-tonne buffalo to feed starving cubs
PLANET Earth II viewers were left divided last night over scenes showing five lionesses trying to take down a one-tonne Cape buffalo.
The gory scenes, in the BBC series' 'grasslands' themed episode, showed the big cats working as a team in a bid to bring down the giant beast so they could feed their three young cubs.
As the adults snapped and clawed at the snorting beast, trying their hardest to avoid his enormous curved horns, the youngsters watched on, totally unaware their survival depended on their elders securing their next meal.
One lioness hoisted herself on the back of the buffalo and began to chow down on his flanks.
Covered in blood, the beast began to tire but it wasn't enough to bring him to the ground to be to be finished off.
Watching at home, the gory scenes left viewers feeling guilty for picking a side in the tooth and claw battle fully aware that there would be no true winner.
If the buffalo died, the cubs survived, and if the buffalo got away then the cubs could die.
One tweeted: "This is too much. Like, I was cheering for the buffalo but then remembered that the baby lions gotta eat 😩 #planetearth2."
Another said: "When you want the hungry lions to be able to eat, but you also want the buffalo to escape #PlanetEarth2 problems."
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