The deadly zebra crossing: Foal is dragged under the water by a crocodile as it swims over a river with its migrating herd in Kenya

• The striped foal fell behind the herd as they crossed the fast-flowing Mara River in Narok County
• Moments before the foal makes it to safety crocodile strikes with its jaws dragging it under the water surface
• Foal’s mother can be seen calling for her baby from the other side of the river unaware of what has happened 

A baby zebra that lagged behind its herd fell victim to a hungry crocodile who overwhelmed the foal, dragging it beneath the surface of Kenya’s Mara River in a powerful display caught on camera. 

Photographs, taken from the banks of the river, show how the predator stalked and conquered its prey with its sheer force in the steady-flowing waters.    

In the images taken by a British man on a safari holiday, the striped foal can first be seen navigating the strong current of the brown-coloured river before falling behind its herd – unaware of the danger that lurked behind.  

The foal was navigating the fast-moving waters of the Mara River in Kenya when it appeared to fall behind the herd

The crocodile had been silently stalking the foal and just as it was about to reach safety the large reptile pounced capturing the baby zebra and pulling it beneath the waters

Moments before it reaches the safety of the river bank, the large reptile is seen to rear out of the water and catch the foal in its powerful jaws – overcoming it and dragging it beneath the surface.   

Electrician Andrew Jarwick, 52, was on a safari trip when he captured the photos of the crocodile capturing the baby foal and dragging it under in a matter of seconds.

Meanwhile, he said its mother stood on the bank and called for her baby for 15 minutes – unaware of the fate that had befallen the young foal.  

Mr Jarwick, from Whitley Bay, North Tyneside, said the safari group had been about to leave the river when they saw the action begin to unfold. 

‘We watched all of the zebras cross the river and as we were leaving I noticed a mother and baby had fallen a bit behind,’ he said. 

‘They went to cross the river and they’d almost made it, but the baby got swept away slightly by the current.’ 

A group of 50 on a safari trip in Kenya were watching as they saw the crocodile get closer and closer to the foal which seemed unaware of the danger that lurked behind

The baby zebra can be seen making a valiant effort to get free but is unfortunately unable to get free from the crocodile’s powerful grasp

He said all those on the safari had been rooting for the baby zebra to make it to shore safely.

‘About 50 people were watching and shouting at the zebra trying to warn it, but obviously it didn’t know what was going on,’ he said. 

He said the foal was so close to making it to safety – when the crocodile struck and in mere seconds it was all over. 

‘I’d say they were about a metre away from the bank and they’d almost made it,’ he said. ‘We watched the croc swim up behind the baby silently, the zebra had no idea it was there.

‘Next thing, the croc grabbed it and dragged it under and spun it.

‘I’d say the whole thing was over in about 30 seconds.’ 

The zebra can be seen in what is likely to have been its final moments still struggling as the crocodile drags it under to finish it off

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