This unfortunate hartebeest became the target of a hunting lesson when a lioness decided to use it as killing practise for her cubs.
The lion cub attempts to take the down the hartebeest calf by clutching it around the neck and trying to bite its throat
With its mother watching closely nearby, the cub chases the poor calf in a long and torturous game of cat and mouse
The calf managed to escape the cub’s clutches, but was repeatedly recaptured by the adult lions and turned free for the cub
The red hartebeest calf is caught by the adult lion after it found itself separated from its hartebeest herd on the plains of South Africa
The cruel game continued for a long time as the adults lions tried to teach the cub a lesson in hunting and killing its prey
Two adult lions and the cub stand guard over the hartebeest after successfully pinning the creature down during the savage hunt
After the lioness managed to catch the calf, she released it for her cub to chase – and when it managed to escape too far, it would be recaptured again by the adults.
Although the hartebeest calf was able to escape from the lion cub’s clutches, it was no match for the adult lions watching on
The adult lion catches the hartebeest in an attempt to demonstrate to its cub how to hunt effectively and efficiently
Witnesses said the adult lions were easily able to capture the calf, but had to be careful not to injure it as it would ruin the hunting lesson
Every time the calf escaped, it was swiftly recaptured by the adults then set loose for the calf to continue attempting to kill it
The hartebeest became the object of the lesson after it emerged from a hiding place it was sheltering in when the rest of the herd fled