A group of wildebeest drinking at a waterhole got quite the surprise when, out of nowhere, a crocodile emerged from the water looking for a snack.
The incredible footage was captured on a safari with Chasin’ Africa in South Africa’s Kruger National Park. The surprising interaction demonstrates just how close danger always seems to be for animals in the wild.
The unsuspecting wildebeest had been taking a drink when the croc launched itself high out of the water and grabbed one of the animals, sending the others scrambling. With the wildebeest’s head locked between its powerful jaws, the hungry predator dragged the struggling animal into the water, where a second crocodile quickly closed in on one of its back legs. The unlucky victim would have likely drowned to death had some unlikely heroes not intervened.
In a twist of fate, a pod of hippos that had been watching the scene from land charged in and quickly surrounded the thrashing trio. For a moment, it was unclear whether they were looking to get in on the action, but the hippos attacked the crocodiles, forcing them to release their grip on the wildebeest.
