how long does a lion hunt his prey? - Help.com

Until he catches it or gives up trying…

typically, lions don’t hunt - they catch by surprise/stealth.

Lions usually hunt at night, alone, or in groups. Their preferred prey are large hoofed mammals, such as zebras and wildebeests, but they will go after small hares as well as huge giraffes. Typically, a lion hunting alone will slowly and silently stalk its prospective victim, trying not to be seen, until it is about 30 m (about 98 ft) away. Then with a burst of speed, the lion will run toward the prey, grab it, and throw it to the ground. The lion kills the prey by biting the back of the animal?s neck with sharp canine teeth or by holding the prey’s throat in its jaws until the animal suffocates. If, during a hunt, the prey detects the lion’s presence and starts to run, the lion gives up. Although lions are capable of high speed over short distances, they do not have the endurance to chase down an escaping animal.

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Lions hunt in packs. The females usually do all the work. One will hide and the others will try to drive the animal towards the hidden lion for a suprise kill. Then they all jump on.