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This video is one of three clips recorded and originally posted by wildlife photographer Muhammad Mulla. At the start of the first clip, at least a dozen lionesses are milling around in a dry, open field. About half of them appear to be adults, and the rest are juveniles. Eventually, it becomes clear that the lions are focused on a crocodile lying on its belly in a large wallow. The larger lions tiptoe around the croc until one taps it tentatively on the snout with its paw.
The crocodile then leaps out the wallow and snaps at the lions. But the cats have power in numbers. They continue to circle the crocodile, swatting and nipping as it spins around defensively. At one point, one of the larger female lions (which happens to be wearing a tracking collar and appears to be the leader of the pack) bites down on the croc’s tail and drags it across the field. She continues to wrestle the crocodile while the others circle and keep it distracted.
Wearing down the crocodile is a slow process. By the end of the second clip, the lions are piled on top of it while the large, collared female sinks her teeth in and immobilizes it. The third and final clip shows the pride of lions finishing off the crocodile, and by the time the clip ends, the croc is all but dead.
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As Nature is Metal points out in a caption, however, the cold-blooded crocodiles occasionally have to leave the river to warm up and sun themselves on dry land. When they do, they’re at the mercy of the predators prowling nearby.