Impala’s Great Escape

By Mark McConville

 

WATCH this incredibly close call as a lucky impala narrowly avoids being snatched by a hungry crocodile.

Stunning footage has captured the moment the 330-pound croc sprang forward to try to grab itself a tasty meal.

Peter Geraerdts / mediadrumworld.com
Peter Geraerdts / mediadrumworld.com

Fortunately for the impala the crocodile’s timing was slightly off and the lightning quick herbivore could get away.

The spectacular clip was filmed in South Luangwa National Park, Zambia by South Luangwa Safari guide and wildlife photographer Peter Geraerdts (47), originally from The Hague in the Netherlands.

Peter Geraerdts / mediadrumworld.com
Peter Geraerdts / mediadrumworld.com

“I was with clients at a lagoon,” he said.

“Water was scarce around that time.

Peter Geraerdts / mediadrumworld.com
Peter Geraerdts / mediadrumworld.com

“Crocs know the favourite drinking places of the herbivores so that is where they hide themselves, close to the edge.

“This specific moment I knew something was about to happen because this Croc was digging itself in the mud just at a drinking place.

Peter Geraerdts / mediadrumworld.com
Peter Geraerdts / mediadrumworld.com

“Not long after that a group of impalas came to drink. I had one camera set for filming and one for photography.

“Luckily the filming worked out but the pictures were not good as the impala jumped so high and quick that the head was cut off in the viewer.”

Peter Geraerdts / mediadrumworld.com
Peter Geraerdts / mediadrumworld.com

Peter, who used a 5Dmark 3 and Eos 1DX to take the footage, said most people like his clip as they always want the prey to escape.

“The happy ending situations are always good for people to see,” he said.

Peter Geraerdts / mediadrumworld.com
Peter Geraerdts / mediadrumworld.com

“Once animals become a prey to the hunter you sometimes find it that people don’t cope that well with bloody situations especially when it’s about young animals or big animals because they usually take longer to die.

Peter Geraerdts / mediadrumworld.com
Peter Geraerdts / mediadrumworld.com

“I love the excitement of finding a good situation in good light and catching the right moment to make an impressive image.”

Peter loved Africa so much he decided to open his own lodge in 2007 and hasn’t looked back since.

“Africa is a special continent. You either love or hate it,” he said.

Peter Geraerdts / mediadrumworld.com
Peter Geraerdts / mediadrumworld.com

“I fell in love with nature in Africa. It’s simply something you don’t find in Europe or anywhere else.

“About twelve years ago, I had the Idea of opening a lodge in Zambia and I bought a piece of land bordering the National Park in the Luangwa Valley.

Peter Geraerdts / mediadrumworld.com
Peter Geraerdts / mediadrumworld.com

“It took some time to get everything arranged for me to be able to build a lodge but in the end I succeeded and in 2007 I opened the lodge.

“I studied to become a guide in Luangwa. I did my exam in 2010 and since then I’m for more or less 150 days in the bush on a yearly base with clients who I drive around to see and to photograph wildlife and in Zambia.”

 

Click to licence images.