This sequence of photos was taken in January 2010, by yours truly, Shane van Niekerk.
It makes anyone who has a passion for the wilds of Africa, cringe!! How do some people just have the luck? Being at the right place at the right time to be witness to such an amazing encounter!
As we pulled up onto the dam wall, where the northern pride of lions where chilling for the morning we heard a commotion on the opposite side of the dam and suddenly this poor little impala came bolting through the bushes running from an enemy(which enemy we don't know)! He took a flying leap to save himself, completely unaware of the danger that awaits on the flip side of this situation he has found himself in! Desperately swimming for safety, as impalas are not keen swimmers, but do when they have to.
He reaches the bank! Can you just imagine the agony of realizing that you are now in deeper trouble than what you were and you are now even more exhausted and not able to get away from, well ultimately the final few moments of your life. A feeble attempt by the little impala to take another leap back to where he came from, just feeds the lions inquisitiveness and one cub that obviously could not be phased by the water, runs in after the free meal on four legs and snatches it up before any of his siblings realised that it was all over and they had missed out!
He trots off proudly, as if though he is the victor of some great hunt, and not just an opportunistic fearless predator. Of course he didn't share with his brothers and sisters, it was just enough to snack on for the morning and fuel him in his race of survival. This is they way of the bush, if you hesitate, you die!
