Beware, lions crossing (and mauling)! Breathtaking moment beasts catch antelope as stunned tourists watch just inches away from open car windows
This is the breathtaking moment two lions brought down and savaged an antelope just inches from the cars of stunned tourists in a game reserve in South Africa.
Briton Carolyn Dunford, 23, who is completing an internship at Kruger National Park, South Africa, captured the bloody drama early Friday morning along with wide-eyed nature-lovers – some watching the spectacle with their windows wide open.
It is only two months since american Katherine Chappell, 29, was dragged through the window of a car by a lion at The Lion Park near Johannesburg.
‘The kudu (a type of antelope) burst from the bushes and the lions chased it into the cars,’ she said. ‘The first lion grabbed onto its back and the second came in and grabbed its throat. They both tackled it.’
Breakfast: Tourists were stunned to see two hungry lions attack the antelope between their cars in Kruger National Park in South Africa
Stalking their prey: One of the lions spots the kudu hiding in the bushes and lowers itself into a crouch before attacking in view of visitors
Off balance: The kudu slips between the tourists’ cars. One women was inches from the huge beasts with her car window wide open
Team work: Both lions tackle the terrified kudu to the ground as one woman peers out of her car window to witness the incredible scene
Miss Dunford, a biology graduate from Romsey, Hampshire, was taking an early morning drive through the park – one of the largest game reserves in Africa – when she came across the rare scene and pulled out her camera.
The amateur photographer told MailOnline: ‘I think I had been driving for about 45 minutes and at about 7.45am, I saw a group of cars crawling along.
‘I pulled up with them and there were the two lions walking towards me.
‘One of them saw the kudu in the bushes and I saw the lion crouch.’
She described seeing the terrified kudu bolt towards the cars, losing its balance in the panic and falling.
Game over: The two big cats wrestle with their catch just inches from tourists’ cars after tackling it to the ground in Kruger National Park
Slaughtered: One of the lions went for the kudu’s neck and continued to eat it’s prey in the middle of the road at the South African park
Defeat: One of the lions licks its lips after bringing down its prey in Kruger National Park in north-east south Africa on Friday morning
Her photographs also show the beasts tear apart their catch as tourists look on.
Miss Dunford, who has spent the last year working on big cat projects in South Africa, but is now an intern at a veterinary research centre at the park in the north-east of the country, added: ‘As a biologist, I understand the circle of life.
‘For me it was really fascinating to watch a lion hunt. It’s a privilege to see it happen and the power of the lions. It was amazing.
‘I love being right in the heart of the action.’
She uploaded her incredible images onto social media and soon thousands of people had ‘liked’ and shared them.
Captured on camera: Briton Carolyn Dunford, 23, had already pulled out her camera and managed to capture these stunning photographs
Victory: The two lions rip their prey apart in front tourists who have pulled over to watch the incredible scenes on a main road in the park
Meal: The whole catch and kill was very quick, but it really was a once-in-a-lifetime sight for tourists who watched the scene close-up
Amateur photographer: Briton Carolyn Dunford, 23, who is working at Kruger National Park, captured the moment early Friday morning