This is the
breathtaking moment two lions brought down and savaged an antelope just
inches from the cars of stunned tourists in a game reserve in South
Africa.
Briton Carolyn
Dunford, 23, who is completing an internship at Kruger National Park,
South Africa, captured the bloody drama early Friday morning along with
wide-eyed nature-lovers - some watching the spectacle with their windows
wide open.
It
is only two months since American Katherine Chappell, 29, was dragged
through the window of a car by a lion at The Lion Park near
Johannesburg.
'The
kudu (a type of antelope) burst from the bushes and the lions chased it
into the cars,' she said. 'The first lion grabbed onto its back and the
second came in and grabbed its throat. They both tackled it.'
Miss
Dunford, a biology graduate from Romsey, Hampshire, was taking an early
morning drive through the park - one of the largest game reserves in
Africa - when she came across the rare scene and pulled out her camera.
The
amateur photographer told MailOnline: 'I think I had been driving for
about 45 minutes and at about 7.45am, I saw a group of cars crawling
along.
'I pulled up with them and there were the two lions walking towards me.
'One of them saw the kudu in the bushes and I saw the lion crouch.'
She described seeing the terrified kudu bolt towards the cars, losing its balance in the panic and falling.
Her photographs also show the beasts tear apart their catch as tourists look on.
Miss
Dunford, who has spent the last year working on big cat projects in
South Africa, but is now an intern at a veterinary research centre at
the park in the north-east of the country, added: 'As a biologist, I
understand the circle of life.
'For
me it was really fascinating to watch a lion hunt. It's a privilege to
see it happen and the power of the lions. It was amazing.
'I love being right in the heart of the action.'
She uploaded her incredible images onto social media and soon thousands of people had 'liked' and shared them.
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