Crocodile snaps elephant's jaws around its trunk

These incredible photographs captured the moment the four meter reptile was lifted almost clear out of the water as the panicked bull elephant attempted to free himself from its jaws. 

The large mammal had been enjoying an afternoon bath with the rest of the herd at a watering hole in the Sabi Sands game reserve in South Africa.

But as it tried to leave the water, an enormous crocodile latched onto the animal's trunk with its sharp jaws.

Tourists saw the terrified elephant rear up on its hind legs and trumpet loudly in fear and pain as it tried to free its trunk.

The hungry crocodile was even dragged out of the water and into the air as the two animals tussled but it stubbornly refused to let go.

Eventually the bull struck the reptile with his knee and stabbed with his tusks to escape its jaws before making a very quick get away.

Ashley Lewis, a 31-year-old fitness marketer, from Michigan US, caught the fierce fight on camera during a trip to the game reserve in December. 

Ashley said: 'We had been sitting in our truck on the river bank. Suddenly, about 300 yards upstream we heard loud and frantic trumpeting from an older bull elephant.

'It was initially hard to make out why, but when he arched his trunk and reared up on his hind legs, it quickly became clear that a crocodile had latched on to his trunk.

'The elephant reared up and down, taking the croc with him as if he was waving around a toy.

'Eventually, when the croc wouldn't loosen his grip, the elephant slammed him on the ground and put his knee, and the full weight of his body, on to the croc and then jabbed it with his tusks.

(dailymail.co.uk)