A photographer captured the devastating moment a hippo slaughtered an impala after it jumped into water trying to escape a pack of ravenous African wild dogs.
Johan Smalman, a safari guide, was touring guests around Krugar National Park, in South Africa last month to show them the wild animals.
The impala could be seen leaping into the water to get away from the pack of chasing wild dogs who were left standing on the river bank
The animal frantically swims away as it attempts to make its escape from the ravenous pack of dogs who nearly managed to snare it
After swimming for several moments uninterrupted the impala is snatched by the ferocious hippo in a lightning fast attack
The hippo grapples with the terrified animal, tossing it around in the water in its powerful jaws as it attempts to bring it to submission
The impalas legs fly upwards into the air as the enormous hippo clamps down on its body with its teeth during the vicious attack
Finally the impala stops fighting after the hippo thrashes around on the surface of the water to kill the terrified creature
The wild dogs can do nothing but watch on metres away from the action as the triumphant hippos claim the impala from the hounds