WATCH: Lion, black mamba, snake eagle battle it out at South African game reserve

It doesn’t get much wilder than this!

Epic footage of a snake eagle that had caught a black mamba, and what can only be described as a stand-off between these two apex predators that ensued, stunned internet audiences this week.

Shot by @PaintedDogTV at Rietspruit Game Reserve in Limpopo and posted on the Latest Sightings YouTube channel, the footage shows the eagle lying on its back, trapped by the black mamba, which was stuck in the eagle’s talons.

Two inquisitive lions added a third dimension to this encounter, which rapidly turned into a fight for survival.

Below is a snippet from the video, posted by @PaintedDogTV to their Instagram page.

The ending was happy, as the snake managed to free itself from the talons of the eagle, and the majestic bird, after a brief face-off with one of the lions, flew away safely.

 

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