This is the moment a buffalo fended off a group of lions
The three ferocious felines snuck up on the pair in north-west Tanzania, East Africa, causing the rest of the buffalo herd to frantically disperse.
But instead of running scared, the big buffalo stood her ground and boldly charged horns-first towards the circling predators.
Predictably, the outnumbered buffalo could not keep them at bay for long and a young lion soon pounced and snapped away the baby between its jaws.
Only the razor-sharp reactions of the mother buffalo saved her young from a painful death after the 70 stone beast ploughed into the lions, just as they looked set to feast on the calf.
The brave buffalo soon stepped in
Thankfully, the rest of the herd arrived just in time to finish off the dramatic rescue, sending the lions retreating with their tails between their legs.
Amateur photographer Andreas Häntzschel, 39 from Aachen, Germany, captured the 90-second clash on camera while he was on safari.
Mr Häntzschel said: “I like the nature, I like travelling and I like to take pictures in a documentary style.
The buffaloes were very courageous to save themselves
Andreas Häntzschel
“This was absolutely unreal. This was amazing and you don’t get a lot of chances to see something like it.
“To see lions is not too spectacular but to see them fighting is great. The buffaloes were very courageous to save themselves.”
Mr Häntzschel, who works as a portfolio manager for an energy firm, used a Canon DSLR to take these astonishing pictures while filming with a Panasonic Video Cam.
He said: “Most people ask me how I managed to see that and then they are happy to see the buffalo calf alive.
“But I was so angry that I didn’t take my full HD camera with me.”