Tragic end for the little elephant who got lost

This is the dramatic moment a lion single-handedly kills a young African elephant after riding on its back until it collapses to the ground.

The elephant, thought to be around three to four years old, was caught alone as it drank from a watering hole.

Rare footage shows the young male attempt to scare the predator away by mock charging - before quickly turning on its heels.

On the run: A young African elephant flees for its life after being targeted by a lion while it was drinking at a watering hole in the Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe

Caught: The lion pounces on the back of the elephant, thought to be around three or four years old, as it closes in for the kill

Losing the fight for life: The lion rides on the back of the elephant until it tires so much it has no option but to drop to the dusty floor

Nowhere to left to run: As the elephant came to a standstill, the lion jumped in the air and twisted - which brought the elephant down to the ground 

  

However, the lion easily caught up and leapt on its back - riding it until it tired and dropped to the floor.

The clip was caught on camera by Heidi and Kurt Haas in the Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe.

 

Kurt, 67, from Switzerland, said: 'The lion tried to unbalance the elephant to bring it down, but in vain.

'Then he tried to slow its pace down by hanging on to the back. As the elephant came to a standstill the lion jumped in the air and twisted - which brought the elephant down to the ground. 

Taken down: The chase was caught on camera by Heidi and Kurt Haas, who said the kill took around 40 minutes from start to finish

Nature at its most brutal: Mr Haas said there was no sign of larger elephants nearby during the 40 minutes it took for the lions to finish the kill

'I'm sure this is a technique which has been practiced for many years.
'Then the lion's brother came to help but only to hold the elephant so his brother could deliver the lethal bites. 

'The whole thing took about 30-40 minutes before the lions - which included another female and a cub - could then begin to eat.'

Prey: It is believed the young elephant became separated from the herd after being driven to the watering hole by extreme thirst

Back-up support: The lion's brother arrives to help but only to hold the elephant so his sibling can deliver the lethal bites

It is not clear if the young elephant was part of a larger herd or living on its own.

Mr Haas said there was no sign of larger elephants nearby during the 40 minutes it took for the lions to finish the kill.

He believes the young elephant was driven to the watering hole by extreme thirst and may have become separated during the frantic search for water.

Dinner time: The lions sink their teeth into the elephant after forcing it to collapse on the floor during the hunt

Hunted: The young elephant had attempted to scare the lion away by mock charging but when that failed he quickly turning on its heels and ran

Mixed emotions: Mr Hass said it was a privilege to witness the kill 'with the eye of the film-maker and with the watery eye of an elephant lover'

He added: 'It is sad but a natural experience of nature.

'It was a privilege to see it with the eye of the film-maker and with the watery eye of an elephant lover. 

'For us it's a unique experience that we will never forget.'

Lost: It is not clear if the young elephant was part of a larger herd or living on its own, but no other members of its herd where anywhere to be seen

Feast for the beasts: A third lion joins the feeding frenzy at the Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe

Mr Hass said: 'It is sad but a natural experience of nature. For us it's a unique experience that we will never forget'