This is the awesome scene where a herd of buffalo closes ranks on a pride of eight hungry lions and rescues a stricken older bull from danger.
When the pride closed in, the buffalo moved the calves behind them and brought up their big males, weighing up to 900kgs, to form a defensive wall.
Having retreated from the grassy savannah to high ground, they seemed out of danger but one older male buffalo could not scale the steep bank to safety.
One hind leg was left dangling and the lionesses sensed a bigger meal than just a calf and circled in, with one leaping up onto its haunches.
But the “buffalo soldiers” were having none of it and charged, again and again, to protect their elderly herd member, forcing the lionesses to keep retreating.
Eventually, the buffalo was able to regain its footing, scale the bank, turn around, and face its tormentors who finally realized there would be no meal for them today.
The buffalo is one of the most dangerous animals in South Africa with its huge horns and weight.
The sighting was captured by game ranger Pieter van Wyk at the exclusive MalaMala Game Reserve in the Greater Kruger Park whilst on a drive with guests.
(Pieter van Wyk – Film-maker, left. Nadav Ossendryver – Latest Sightings founder, right)
Pieter, 35, said: “The lionesses had come down to a riverbed when they met a large pride of lionesses who were hungry and on the hunt for a kill to feed on.
“The lionesses grabbed a young calf but the mother and male members of the herd chased it off.
“The baby had a lucky escape and survived but when the herd retreated into the safety of the bush, one of the older members of the herd got stuck on the steep bank.
“It was a sitting duck, unable to defend itself. Knowing this, the lionesses made their move while being watched by cubs of the pride.
“But the male buffalo did not give up on their herd member and charged the lionesses, again and again, until they quit.
“It was an extremely captivating and adrenaline-pumping sighting and one of my best,” said the father-of-two who works on the 33000 acre Big 5 game reserve.
—WATCH—
The buffalo is a prized trophy for big game hunters who, apart from humans, its only predators are lions and crocodiles. They can stand at up to 5ft 6in in height.
But this time the Kings of the Jungle came off second best to the Buffalo Soldiers…
