The video clip was shared by Giosuè Spinosa, a tourist visiting the Shingwedzi River, north of the Kruger National Park, and captured a rare encounter between a black mamba and a crocodile.

According to Spinosa, he observed the snake moving along a patch of dry sand, towards the water’s edge. Its rapid movement made him think that the snake was not just coming to the water’s edge to quench its thirst, but was perhaps looking for a way to cross the river.

This action was considered extremely reckless, because the Shingwedzi River is a favorite habitat of crocodiles and hippos. These are both ferocious animals, and are much larger than the mamba.

As expected, a crocodile immediately detected the presence of the “intruder” and approached. It seemed like it was facing death, but with its superior speed, the black mamba quickly turned the waves and avoided the crocodile’s attack.

However, the snake unfortunately chose the wrong way to escape the river, diving into an area with a lot of clay and mud. This decision slowed it down as it tried to move through the thick mud at the water’s edge.

Another crocodile seized the opportunity, pouncing on the snake with a quick bite, while also showing off its swings, quickly bringing its prey down.

The commotion immediately attracted the attention of a fish eagle perched on the riverbank. However, the eagle made the wise decision to leave without fighting for the crocodile’s meal.