Splashing around in the water with macabre glee, a crocodile flings a young hippo calf around in its jaws like a rag doll.
The giant predator reared out of the water to reveal the tiny carcass after apparently snatching its prey while its mother’s back was turned.
Treated like a rag doll: An enormous crocodile tosses a young hippo calf around in its jaws near Lower Sabie in Kruger National Park
Hunter and the hunted: The giant predator reared out of the water to reveal the tiny carcass, before tossing it through the air like a toy
Snapped up: Amateur photographer Roland Ross captured these incredible photographs when the crocodile was swimming in a small dam
Brutal: Photographer Roland Ross when taken by surprise when the predator reared out of the water with the young hippo between its teeth
‘It was throwing it in the air, spinning and jumping and splashing.’
Mr Ross said: ‘The crocodile began to perform all sorts of antics with the baby hippo, throwing it in the air, spinning and jumping and splashing’
‘We have seen croc kills before, but we have never seen a croc playing with its prey’: Photographer Roland Ross was shocked by predator’s antics
Mr Ross watched the crocodile’s performance for around 25 minutes before it took its food into deeper water and disappeared from sight.
Unforgiving environment: The crocodile appears to have snatched the hippo while its mother’s back was turned
Dinner time: Mr Ross watched the crocodile’s performance for around 25 minutes before it took its food into deeper water and disappeared from sight