IN INCREDIBLE footage, an eagle, a black mamba snake and a leopard come face to face in an intense and bloody battle.
Witnesses watched gobsmacked as the eagle-snake-cat showdown played out just meters from their safari vehicle.
Brown snake eagles feed almost exclusively on snakes and the species has evolved an impressive natural tolerance to venom.
But in this case, the mamba’s powerful coils proved too strong.
The bird’s battle quickly drew the attention of Thandi – one of the park’s female leopards.
“Out of nowhere Thandi and her cub came across the scene.”
After pushing her youngster safely aside, Thandi joined the brawl repeatedly swiping at the snake and eagle.
The leopard tried to join the fight so that he could get some food for his cubs during a leisurely hunt. But it did not dare to take the risk because of the appearance of the black mamba snake.
The black mamba’s flesh was too dangerous for its little one, and they decided to leave. The eagle had a bad day hunting and had to die here.