One early morning, Wynand had taken the gravel road to Lower Sabie and had enjoyed many great sightings along the way, including lions and hyenas.
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However, it was while on a long detour, he was parked by the Mpondo Dam on the S102, that he witnessed an extraordinary act of courage by a waterbuck.
He called the sighting, “A dream sighting come true!”
Peaceful Setting Disrupted By Stealthy Croc
Waterholes can present somewhat of a risk to antelopes and other animals, as they have to let down their guard to take a drink.
This is because predators often lie in wait. Lions, leopards, hyenas, wild dogs… these are just a few of the predatory animals that might become present by rivers and dams in the bushveld, as they search for potential prey. But sometimes, the real danger lies beneath the surface. Hippos and crocodiles, for the most part, remain hidden beneath the water’s surface.
This crocodile was barely visible as it drifted towards an unsuspecting waterbuck ram. Its head appeared as a piece of driftwood above the water, and the waterbuck stood peacefully in the water.
The crocodile had its focus set on the buck and to viewers, its sudden ambush of the animal came as a surprise.
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Croc Pulls Buck Beneath The Surface
The peaceful buck was soon pulled beneath the surface of the water, a victim of the sneaky croc.
Or so it seemed…
Its head soon re-emerged above the stirred-up waters, and it appeared it was resisting the crocodile’s efforts. The buck’s will to live was stronger than the crocodile’s ruthless jaws.
Still, this buck showed incredible determination. It pulled away from the crocodile, showing sheer strength as it headed back towards the shore.
It fought with all its might against the pull of death, emerging on the sandy banks with a limp and clear signs of injury.
Buck Makes It To The Shore… Alive!
Male waterbuck have horns that are large and designed as weapons against attackers. However, this waterbuck didn’t have the opportunity or positioning to use its horns in defense during the attack.
Rather, its will to escape became its weapon, and it seemed, as the injured buck walked across the riverbank, free from the crocodile, that this was enough!
Wynand said of the sighting: “After going to the Kruger National Park for many years, I never thought I would see a crocodile attempting a kill so it is very rare for me. It is something I always dreamt of seeing but never thought I would be lucky enough to see.”
He said that it was hard to believe that the waterbuck actually escaped the predator after being dragged under the water. “After it escaped, we followed the buck into the bushes where it just stood and looked like it didn’t know what to do. People drove by and looked bewildered as we watched the waterbuck for a while and told them about our exciting sighting.”