This is the tense moment a daring leopard snatches meat from between a ‘dozing’ crocodile’s teeth – before running off when the reptile opens an eye.
In footage filmed at South Luangwa National Park in Zambia the hungry big cat is seen creeping forward to swipe a snack.
As the leopard paws at scraps of meat, the huge reptile slowly opens one of its eyes and slyly looks in the direction of 29-year-old Nicole Dangoor’s camera.
Sneaky: A daring leopard managed to snatch meat from a ‘dozing’ crocodile’s jaws at South Luangwa National Park in Zambia
After managing to snatch one piece of meat the leopard returns to try again and yanks an antelope leg free.
However during this attempt the crocodile is woken up and opens an eye just before the cat scarpers with its dinner.
The footage then shows a reptile following the cat into the trees as the leopard – who had been in a scrap with crocodiles earlier in the day – tries to escape with the meat.
Wildlife filmmaker Nicole, from East Finchley, London, said: ‘I was a bit scared for the leopard, but that’s nature – they know what they’re doing.
Watch out: During a second attempt to get food the crocodile opened an eye, revealing that it had only been dozing
Quietly does it: The big cat carefully approached the reptile before swiping an antelope leg from between its teeth
Dinner time: The leopard carefully tried to pull the meat from the crocodile’s jaws
Success: After nabbing the food the leopard ran away towards the tall grass
‘The leopard is really getting inside the crocodile’s mouth but he’s very careful. The croc is awake and he slyly opens his eyes.
‘It shows how brutal nature is and how they can all fend for themselves.
‘It shows how brutal nature is’: Filmmaker Nicole Dangoor recorded the interaction after spending hours watching animals
‘In the end, the leopard managed to grab a leg and runs off.
‘It was an amazing experience to see how nature works and how they fight with each other.’
The clip was shot by a river near Mfuwe Lodge, owned by the Bushcamp Company.
Nicole sat for hours watching the animals fight for the meat.
Though she feared the leopard could attack the ‘snoozing’ reptile, she soon learnt the crocodile was far more vicious and capable of fighting.
Nicole said: ‘We were driving back to the lodge and we saw a leopard near one of the smaller rivers where the crocs rest.
‘We saw the end of the tail, then all of a sudden two crocs came and stole the meat off the leopard, then the leopard was following the croc trying to grab its meat.
‘Crocodiles keep the meat in their mouth because the leopard is more scared of the crocodile – it takes the risk to eat.’
On the hunt: The cat was completely alert as it moved in on the croc for the antelope meat
Too close for comfort? The big cat reached dangerously close to the reptile’s sharp teeth
Stealthy: While grabbing the second piece of meat the leopard carefully approached from the side
Show us your teeth: Both the animals showed off their sharp teeth as the leopard stole food
Dinner time: The leopard walked off with the meat after snatching it from the crocodile’s jaw