Tourist films lion chase down elephant

A Swiss tourist has filmed the grisly moment a lion chased down and killed a young African elephant after it was caught alone at a waterhole.

Kurt Haas filmed the beast pursue the juvenile pachyderm before leaping onto its back and forcing it to the ground at a national park in Zimbabwe.

"The lion tried to unbalance the elephant to bring it down, but in vain," Mr Haas said.

"As the elephant came to a standstill the lion jumped in the air and twisted - which brought the elephant down to the ground."

The three or four-year-old elephant, which had tusks but was far from full-sized, was then killed by a series of bites to the neck by the lion and its brother.

A lioness and a cub then join in for a feast.

"It is sad but a natural experience of nature," Mr Haas said.

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

Author: Nick Pearson. Approving editor: Simon Black.

Sources: Barcroft Media, Daily Mail