Impala makes life-saving leap of faith just beyond the clutches of a full-stretched lioness

Wildlife photographer Grant Atkinson spent 30 minutes trailing the lioness in the Okavango Delta in Botswana
Atkinson lined up his camera as the lioness, crawling prone, approached the unsuspecting impala
Suddenly, as the lioness lunges at its prey, Atkinson begins shooting the dramatic confrontation
Moments later the impala escapes, but Atkinson is forced to look at his camera to see how the lioness almost won

As the lioness approached the impala on the Okavango Delta in Botswana, photographer Grant Atkinson thought there was only one winner in this battle of nature. 

With the predator preparing to strike, Mr Atkinson had his finger on the shutter of his camera, poised for the moment when the impala was clamped firmly between the lion's jaws. In a matter of a second, the encounter was over and the impala escaped. 

But it wasn't until Mr Atkinson reviewed that dramatic footage that he could see how close the lion had been to success.

According to Mr Atkinson: 'He said: 'I was excited by the possibility of witnessing a hunt. Although it happens quite frequently that the prey animals catch sight of the lions, so I tried to temper my anticipation. 

'I found the lion perhaps thirty minutes earlier. When she caught sight of the impala coming toward her, she immediately flattened herself into a crouch.

'I have seen lions hunting before, but to be in a position that allowed us to watch the whole event unfold before us was very unusual.'

'Being able to see the minute details of the lioness' claws, her failed grab and the way that the impala slipped right by was only fully revealed to me when I looked at the images afterwards.'

The Cape Town native had previously worked in Botswana as a wildlife guide for more than ten years. 'I felt disappointment for the lion, in that she had missed her meal, but relieved for the impala. Seeing something as spectacular as this attempted hunt, is always exciting as a wildlife photographer.'

Source:Daily Mail