Yusuf Chavoos captured the tense moment at the Pilanesberg National Park in Bojanala, South Africa
The lioness spent 10 minutes stalking a herd of zebra before patiently waiting pounce on it as it hunted it down
Within 10 seconds of sprinting at 40mph it caught up and leapt onto the back of the fully-grown zebra
A hungry young lioness looks like it’s hitching a ride on the back of a zebra as it tries to hunt the animal down for dinner.
The sly cat spent 10 minutes stalking a herd of zebra and patiently waited before pouncing.
Within 10 seconds of sprinting at 40mph it caught up and leapt onto the back of the fully-grown zebra.
Get back here! The lioness jumps onto the back of the zebra as it tries to avoid turning into dinner in South Africa
The four-year-old lioness then held on to the frightened beast as it tried desperately to escape.
But the slightly ‘inexperienced’ big cat was shaken off the striped-animal’s back and the herd of five zebras managed to flee.
Optometrist Yusuf Chavoos captured the tense moment at the Pilanesberg National Park in Bojanala, South Africa.
He said: ‘The four year old lioness spent about 10 minutes stalking the zebra before it decided to pounce.
The chase is on! The zebras are startled by the running lioness at the Pilanesberg National Park in Bojanala, South Africa
Run! The sly lioness spent 10 minutes stalking a herd of zebra and patiently waited before pouncing sending the animals running in panic
‘It was travelling at approximately 40mph and managed to catch up with the zebra within just 10 seconds.
‘The five zebras had come to the waterhole to drink and it was amazing to have witnessed such a dramatic chase.
‘But I was in two minds as to whether we should root for a kill or for the zebra to complete its escape.’
Mr Chavoos, from Johannesburg, South Africa, added: ‘The zebra eventually managed to get away as it was slightly too fast for the inexperienced lioness.
Eye on the prize: Within 10 seconds of sprinting at 40mph the lioness caught up and leapt onto the back of the fully-grown zebra