It leads a totally ground-dwelling carnivorous mode of life. Lying in the long grass, where it is camouflaged by its stripes and mane, it waits for its chief prey, the gigantelopes (namely tropical gigantelopes). As they pass by, the horrane leaps out on to the back or neck of its quarry, using its sickle-like claws to rip deep wounds around the neck and throat. Severely wounded, the gigantelope soon dies, providing a meal for the whole horrane family group.