A mother gazelle has been captured on camera attempting to save her calf from the clutches of a large eagle.
The distraught mum can be seen approaching the bird of prey at it sits defiantly with one huge claw resting on its catch.
Linda Skeen was on a trip to the Massai Mara National Reserve in Kenya when she captured this somber scene.
“All of a sudden, I saw a huge Martial Eagle fly over the top of the safari vehicle.”
“Then it attempted to take off again, but couldn’t get airborne because it had captured a new calf Thompson’s Gazelle in its talons. ”
It took a few moments for the mother to comprehend that her fawn was being held by the eagle.
She started charging, desperately trying to free her fawn.
The Martial Eagle picked up the fawn by its head and held it over his claws. One talon was on the skull of the fawn, while the other was grasping the mother gazelle’s head.
“As a wildlife and outdoor photographer, I’m a witness to nature’s truth, witnessing the encounter of animals. ”
“There is always death and life in nature. Honestly, I was hoping the mother would release her fawn, but things didn’t work out that way.”
“It was difficult to watch, in fact, heart-wrenching. The cruelty and reality of life and death is never my favourite thing to witness.”
