- Lionesses were tucking into meal when male arrived at Kruger National Park
- As he tried to grab a morsel for himself, sassy female swiped at him with her paw
- Catherine Van Eyk and Matthew McCreesh, both 27, captured footage of scene
This sassy lioness had no intentions to share her meal when a hopeful not-so-alpha male tried to join her.
The moment the female lashed out at the male, swiping him with her right paw, was caught on camera at Kruger National Park in South Africa.
Catherine Van Eyk and Matthew McCreesh, both 27, filmed the scene last year after a pair of lionesses were interrupted while eating a wildebeest carcass.
These lionesses had started eating after several male lions had already scoffed their fill – so when one greedy individual came back for more, the ravenous female put him in his place
The lionesses had started eating after several male lions had already scoffed their fill – so when one greedy individual came back for more, the ravenous female put him in his place.
Ms Van Eyk said: ‘The females started to eat furiously. The male came to smell her and was bothering her – she turned around and gave him a nasty swipe in the face, claws out and teeth baring.
‘He was taken by surprise.’
Don’t even try it: The lioness was so unimpressed with the male’s rudeness she took a swipe at him before going back to munch on her meal
Roar fury: The moment the female swiped at the greedy male with her right paw was caught on camera at Kruger National Park in South Africa
The lioness was so unimpressed with his rudeness she took a swipe at the male before going back to munch on her meal.
Ms Van Eyk added: ‘It was very exciting to watch. It’s not often (you) see these huge strong animals in such action. They spend most of their day sleeping.
‘It was also great to see the female standing up to the male.’
Catherine Van Eyk said: ‘It was very exciting to watch. It’s not often (you) see these huge strong animals in such action’