An old crocodile effortlessly slides down the bank into the river. His body and tail undulate swiftly in the current, disappearing into its murky depths. Bubbles float to the surface, evidence of his direction. The water is his hunting ground. You’ll glass the surface, looking for his movements but see nothing.
The wildebeests are crammed together at the water’s edge and look suspiciously into the river. Several timidly step into the shallows and drink. This bravery with no consequences gives the herd courage, and they crowd forward.
The old crocodile lunges from the water with a great splash and snaps his razor-sharp teeth around a wildebeest’s leg. The herd stampedes and leaves the wildebeest struggling in the crocodile’s jaws.
This gains the attention of the other crocodiles. They slip into the river until only their knobby snouts and eyes show above the surface.
The lions are restless. They take turns drinking from the muddy water hole until a herd of zebras catches their attention. Most of the pride is hidden in the long grass, thickets, or rock kopjes.
A zebra stallion hesitantly leads his herd to the water and stops to smell the wind and watch the thickets for movement. A lioness studies the herd from cover. She lashes her tail angrily and charges with eyes locked on a zebra.
In the first fifty feet, she swiftly gains on the zebra and, with a giant leap, lands on its back and digs in with her claws. She twists the zebra’s neck sharply, and it loses its balance falling hard to the ground with a panicked grunt in a cloud of dust. The lioness goes for its throat with powerful jaws, breaking the zebra’s neck. She continues the stranglehold as it struggles and suffocates.
Five male lions arrive and take over the carcass. Many more lions materialize from the bush and head toward the kill. They keep coming and coming. Several lionesses dart in to snatch scraps for their cubs and are repulsed by aggressive males who quickly devour the zebra. This leaves a lot of hungry mamas milling about who haven’t eaten.
