Battle of the beasts: Crocodile battles pack of lions in fight over food

A vicious crocodile and a fearsome pack of lions face off over food in this awe-inspiring wildlife moment.

The deadly croc snapped at the formidable pack of lions as they went head-to-head over feeding rights near the Samburu river in Kenya.

After noticing the corpse of a dead elephant, the brave croc dared to enter the lion's territory in an effort to get a piece of the action.

But desperate to keep their meal and fearful for the safety of their cubs, the lions drove the beast away by clawing and biting its legs.

Battling it out in the muddy shallows of the Kenyan river, the croc eventually admitted defeat and retreated to the safety of deeper waters.

Taken from the safety of a safari van, Vietnamese photographer, Hung Ta, 50, was taken to the scene by his tour guide after hearing of the altercation over the vehicles radio.

Hung Ta said: 'As soon as we heard that there might be a fight between two big predators we rushed to the scene.

'For a while there was a Mexican standoff with neither making the first move but I believe the lion was fearing for the safety of its cubs and made the first move.

'It wasn't long before other lions moved in and began to claw and bite at the legs of the crocodile all the while making sure to stay clear of its huge jaws.

'The crocodile actually tried to get closer for a second time but was soon overwhelmed so it backed off.

'It was amazing to see the fight happen, it's not very often these two predators fight and neither animal underestimated its opponent.'