16:36 GMT, 24 July 2012
Scanning the surface of the water, her amber eyes alight upon a threat to her pride - a deadly crocodile lurking in the river that the
family of lions must cross.
The fiercely protective lioness did not hesitate, leaping into the water and grappling with the reptile to allow the rest of the pride to
cross the river in safety.
These images show the magnificent big cat fastening her front legs around the crocodile's jaws and dunking it underneath the water
before making a break for the river bank at the Okavanga Delta in Botswana.
The lioness' brave diversion tactics were witnessed by wildlife photographer Pia Dierickx, who said the creature moved with such
incredible speed she did not realise what had happened until she looked back at the pictures on her camera.
The crocodile swam away after the incident disturbed an otherwise peaceful day at the Okavanga Delta.
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Scanning the surface of the water, her amber eyes alight upon a threat to her pride - a deadly crocodile lurking in the river that the
family of lions must cross.
The fiercely protective lioness did not hesitate, leaping into the water and grappling with the reptile to allow the rest of the pride to
cross the river in safety.
These images show the magnificent big cat fastening her front legs around the crocodile's jaws and dunking it underneath the water
before making a break for the river bank at the Okavanga Delta in Botswana.
The lioness' brave diversion tactics were witnessed by wildlife photographer Pia Dierickx, who said the creature moved with such
incredible speed she did not realise what had happened until she looked back at the pictures on her camera.
The crocodile swam away after the incident disturbed an otherwise peaceful day at the Okavanga Delta.
<a href="http://s1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/?action=view&current=frm00002-62.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/frm00002-62.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
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