Steve Bebington

A cheetah narrowly escaped death when it all but stumbled into a lion’s ambush. Thankfully for the spotted cat, its legendary speed saved the day.

Like it or not, brutality is a frequent feature in Nature. Even when witnessed on our doorsteps, it is part of the age-old battle between the hunter and the hunted, whose prize is survival.

A python puts up a desperate fight after being caught by a crocodile. Despite the crocodile’s grip on the snake and thrashing it around, the python tries with all its strength to escape.

Young animals are nothing if not enthusiastic in their willingness to imitate their elders. In this video, a group of young lions learn that imitation does not guarantee success.

While lions are only successful in about 30% of attempted hunts, the results are spectacular when they get it right. Here, a combination of stealth, speed, strength and lightning-quick reactions merge to outwit a fleeing impala.

Having all but escaped a pair of lions, a kudu’s escape bid was foiled in an unfortunate manner. Meanwhile, a group of tourists could not have been closer to the action if they tried.

As we all know, toddlers can make a game of practically anything. In this video, an elephant calf shows that this is not unique to humans.

Like many cat species, lions seem to have an aversion to water, almost as if it is beneath their dignity. Forced to cross a river, one of these regal, big cats narrowly avoids an embarrassing moment.

While fleeing from a lion, an impala found refuge in a muddy waterhole. Then, to its horror, a new threat arrived, and things took a dark turn.

In a bold move, a caracal attempted to hunt an unlikely prey. Its target, a family of warthogs, seemed as surprised as the tourists who witnessed the incident.

An unusual incident unfolded at a waterhole when a baby crocodile seized an impala lamb. After eventually freeing itself, the impala then faced a new and unlikely tormentor.

For humans, shared meals are normally friendly and sociable. However, it’s a case of fighting for your share or going hungry for lions.

A lazy leopard was lucky to escape with its life after it took a siesta. Unbeknownst to the spotted cat, another big cat had it in its sights.

An unusual predation occurred at a water hole, when a black-backed jackal took on a marabou stork. Although the stork fought valiantly, once the jackal clamped its jaws on its neck, its fate was sealed.

While enjoying some family time at a local waterhole, an elephant calf had an inadvertent learning experience. Watch as the playful youngster learns about the effects of gravity.

In an epic battle, a female buffalo did all she could to protect her calf from a lion. However, when the rest of the pride showed up, she was soon fighting for her own survival.

Proving that curiosity is not limited to humans, an elephant approached a safari vehicle. What followed was a remarkable display of gentleness and tolerance.

After a rhino had its peace disturbed by a young elephant, it seemed a tense standoff might ensue. Not to be intimidated, the elephant de-escalated the situation in a most amusing manner.

When a leopard dragged her kill up a tree, she probably looked forward to dining in peace. However, things took a surprising turn when some unwelcome bystanders picked up the scent of fresh meat.

A cuckoo narrowly escaped certain death after being captured by a sparrowhawk. Although pinned to the ground, the brave cuckoo squawked and flapped its way to freedom.