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Leaping out from under a tree, a hungry lioness bounds towards a group of thirsty nyalas who are guzzling from a watering hole.
Caught off guard, the group of nyala panic and separate in their desperate bid to try to escape.
One unlucky nyala is knocked over in the frenzy by the lioness, who dramatically pounces on her floundering prey.
Feeding time: The lioness enjoys tucking into the neck of the dead nyala in the Tembe Elephant game reserve
The nail-biting hunt was captured by Elmar Weiss, from Hamburg, Germany in the Tembe Elephant Game Reserve in Kwa Zulu Natal, South Africa.
‘When I arrived at the watering hole, I immediately spotted a lioness lying alone under the shade of a tree,’ the 45-year-old said.
‘It wasn’t long until a herd of elephants and several small groups of nyalas arrived for their afternoon drink.’
‘I was surprised at how relaxed the nyalas appeared to be in the presence of a predator,’ he said.
The Nyala is a spiral horned antelope which is commonly found in South Africa, Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
Desperate struggle: The lioness sinks its large claws into the side of the struggling nyala
No escape: The lioness crashes on top of the nyala as she overpowers its struggling prey
‘But one nyala got a little too close to the lioness for comfort, and within seconds she furiously pounced towards it.
‘It was a total frenzy. The nyala knocked over one of its own, and the lioness took advantage of the easy kill.’
Sitting patiently in a photographer’s hide around 50m away, Elmar spent just seconds photographing the hunt as it unravelled in front of him.
He says: ‘I had such an adrenaline rush as I was taking the photographs.
Moving in for the kill: The lioness quickly tries to cut off the nyala’s escape route up the muddy water bank
Sitting patiently in a photographer’s hide around 50m away, Elmar spent just seconds photographing the hunt as it unravelled in front of him
Giving chase: The lioness hotly pursued the nyalas, who break away from the water’s edge
Running for its life: The nyala realises the danger and quickly tries to sprint away form the lioness
Ready: Crouching in the shadows, the lioness watches from the distance as the nyala takes a drink
‘I waited for two hours for some action and in the end it was all over in just 10 seconds.
‘I watched as the nyalas bounced away from the watering hole.
‘The lioness simply dragged the dead nyala back to her shady spot, and resumed her nap.’
The Nyala is a spiral -horned antelope which is commonly found in South Africa, Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
They are well known for their curious nature, which can often land them in dangerous situations with predators.
һᴜпtіпɡ Instinct Unleashed: Captivating Scene as Lioness Pursues and Pounces on Nyala in South Africa