GABORONE, BOTSWANA — A couple of male African lions crossing a river in Botswana got a deadly surprise when they came under attack by one of the nastiest predators around — a massive crocodile. <br /> <br />Footage of the epic battle published on May 5 was captured by tourists on safari last month. <br /> <br />The tourists were out by the Wilderness Safaris' King's Pool tracking two lion brothers trying to cross the Linyanti river, when they suddenly spotted a dangerous threat swimming across the pond. The enormous crocodile approached with speed, but the younger lion did not detect him. <br /> <br />With the lions out of their element, the bloodthirsty crocodile unleashed a sneak attack. Refusing to watch his little brother be killed, the older lion swam in to fight. <br /> <br />Trading places in the underwater ring of death, the older lion was dragged underwater by the crocodile as his kid brother was able to swim away. <br /> <br />The brave lion, probably having had run ins with the reptiles before, also managed to swim free, pulling himself out of the water and into the reeds by the riverside. <br /> <br />Following the fight, he quickly gathered himself, only to see the younger brother he’d just saved had retreated to where they’d first entered the water. <br /> <br />When older brother returned for the siblings to reunite he found his little bro, mating with a lioness. While the older sibling could have challenged for mating rights to the female, he reportedly opted to let his younger brother have all the fun.
