A baby rhino managed to miraculously survive after a cruel adult launched an unprovoked attack by flipping it in the air and trying to kill it.
The calf and its mother were set upon in Madikwe Game Reserve, South Africa, by the angry three-tonne male while they were grazing.
Without warning the seemingly calm male lashed out at both the mother and calf, trying to ram them with his horn.
The action was snapped by 64-year-old insurance broker, Peter Garrun, who was visiting the reserve with his daughter Candice, her husband Seth and their son.
He explained: ‘The male started chasing the female and started horning her, attempting to lift her in the air. As she was too large, he then turned his attention to the calf.’
The mother, who had tried to hold her own against the bully, was left to watch as the full grown male turned his attentions towards her calf.
Helpless against such a brute, the young calf could do nothing but run as the male rhino came hurdling towards her.
Mr Garrun added: ‘he male started chasing the calf and it took a few seconds for him to reach her. The calf was crying with fear and the mother could not help her in any way.’
Now at the mercy of the giant male, the calf could do nothing as she was flipped in the air and rammed repeatedly with the male’s horn.
In the blink of an eye however, the inevitable was averted as the male rhino grew more and more tired attacking the stubborn calf, eventually losing interest.
With the male now moving away from the young calf, its mother quickly came to its aid.
A few tense moments passed as the calf, which was laying on the ground motionless, seemed to have succumbed to its injuries. Then, miraculously it started to move.
Mr Garrun said: ‘We all thought it was dead. But we saw some movement and, after getting up and falling a few times, it stood up and it seemed as though there were no puncture holes but only scratches with blood.’
The grandfather was later told by the park ranger that the lucky calf would be monitored to look out for any possible internal injuries.