They're two of nature's most fearsome predators - so when this crocodile faced off against some angry lions, it was always going to be tense.
The three metre-long Nile crocodile hauled himself from a river to try and poach a kill from the snarling big cats at the Zungulila Bushcamp in South Luangwa, Zambia.
The giant croc - known by locals as 'Fred' - was not fazed about wandering over to try his luck and steal an impala the lionesses had just killed.
Engrossed in their meal it takes the big cats a few moments to realise Fred is coming towards them and at one stage it looks like he might succeed as he opens his massive jaws.
The lion cubs wisely scatter to avoid themselves becoming a meal and for a second it looks like Fred has the upper hand.
But the huge lioness mums decide enough is enough and spurred on by anger at the intruder and the instinct to protect their young they begin to claw and bite Fred until he decides it's time to go.
Almost as quickly as it started the titanic struggle is over as Fred runs through the grass back to the safety of the river at the Zungulila Bushcamp, South Luangwa, Zambia.
The crocodile scurries away with its tail between its legs after being outnumbered (Caters)Photographer and bushcamp manager Oli Dreike, 34, from The Bushcamp Company, was just 20 metres away in his tent when the action unfolded.
He said: "I ran back to my tent to get my camera, to find one of the lionesses crouching in wait on the other side of a small, spring fed channel not 20 metres from my tent.
"Having grabbed my camera and tripod, we both sat in wait, while a nearby group of impala started making alarm calls.
"Then, suddenly out of the tall grass, came bounding her pride mate, sending the impala into a panic and one right into the claws of the other lioness, right in front of me.
"The rest of the pride rushed in to start feeding on the impala, a small meal for seven hungry mouths.
"But the cats were so engrossed in their meal, that it took them a while to realise that they had an uninvited table guest the huge crocodile that lives in the channel that runs through camp had smelt it's opportunity and decided to try it's luck at grabbing a piece of the action.
"The lionesses seemed to be protecting the kill as well as their cubs, although the croc does seem to have gotten away with a small chunk of meat.
This battle of the titans was a very noisy affair, all going on some 15 metres away, with nothing between me and the action, but a narrow stream.
"I could not believe what I had just seem, let alone been able to film and photograph it."
