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As images of desert lions failing to bring down a loping giraffe go viral, these are the dramatic moments when lions taste the blood of their most dangerous adversary.
A brutal contest between a lion pride and an African buffalo provides the showpiece scenes in the next episode of the BBC wildlife blockbuster that is achieving global acclaim.
Transfixing scenes of the lionesses taking on the 2,000lb buffalo were the climax of a two-year assignment in Botswana’s Okavango Delta to capture Africa’s most iconic predator talking on its most formidable prey.
Buffalo kill more lions than any other creature and are even known to carry out pre-emptive strikes on cubs to stop them growing up to become enemies.
Only a few prides have mastered the hunting techniques to bring down a swamp buffalo with its incredibly thick hide and horns that can rip a huge hole into the flanks of a lion.
With only a small boat as a refuge from hyenas, crocodiles and hippos, the crew spent months capturing the exact moment a pride of six related lionesses homed in on a solitary buffalo.
The dramatic moment a pride of lions violently clashed with a buffalo on Planet Earth 2
Sir David Attenborough’s flawless commentary and tense background music only add to the drama.
One distracts the bull up front while her sisters attack from behind
Sir David said: “The pride do have numbers on their side but one sweep of his horns will be deadly.
“One distracts the bull up front while her sisters attack from behind.”
Under the onslaught of raking claws, the buffalo twists and turns, sending up a spray of swamp water.
He continued: “The cats must somehow topple the buffalo but with swamp underfoot they cannot get any traction.”
As the scenes get ever more frantic, one lion manages to sink her teeth into the buffalo’s rear quarters, covering her face with blood.
One lion distract the buffalo whilst two other flank the beast
The pride have mastered the group tactic of taking down such a large beast through practice
But is the pride powerful enough to bring down a creature that will leave their bellies filled for days?
The BBC say viewers will have to find out this Sunday when its fifth episode focussing on grasslands is screened.
Episode producer Chadden Hunter is giving away no secrets but he has revealed how the crew had to escape the attentions of some of Africa’s deadliest animals to get their footage in the Okavango.
Using a tiny metal dinghy to get their shots, nature soon began to wreak revenge.
The lions feast on the flesh of the wounded beast
The producer said: “Hours in, we got bogged in these thick reeds, surrounded by hippopotamus. They’re really aggressive, they kill more people in Africa than any other large animal.
“As it got close to sunset, we had to start getting out of the boat because it kept getting wedged into this thick mat of swampy reeds.
“The local cowboy told me to take my shoes off, because we wanted to be able to react as quickly as possible if we stepped on a crocodile.
“We’re pushing a boat through the Okavango, surrounded by deadly crocodiles and hippos, at night, barefoot, trying to feel for crocodiles and at that stage I thought ‘I’m an idiot, I should have known better, what have I done?’.
“Our legs got slashed to ribbons by swordgrass, and our faces were getting eaten alive by mosquitos.
“From head to toe we were decimated, and our legs were just bleeding with thousands of cuts.
Every single step you’re taking in this water you can’t see, you’re feeling for the texture of a crocodile back and getting ready to jump. That was the most hair-raising it got.”