Can you spot the hunting lion? Two waterbucks didn’t but got lucky

A pair of lionesses were relaxing in a riverbed in Kruger National Park in South Africa when two waterbucks came walking by, sending the lions into stealth mode.

Wildlife photographer Henri Olckers had been taking photos of the lions when he noticed the prey, and suddenly the lions disappeared.

“We lost sight of them when they got to the reeds so we focused on the waterbuck, waiting for the hunt,” Olckers told USA Today/For The Win Outdoors. “After zooming in, I saw one lioness, looking intently at the waterbuck cow.”

Olckers snapped a photo of that hidden lion peering through the reeds and posted it on Facebook.

No wonder the waterbucks didn’t see the lions, as they can be very stealthy when it comes to catching dinner.

A closer image reveals the eye of the lion.

Fortunately for the waterbucks, they apparently saw the lions in the nick of time.

“The lionesses did make an attempt at a hunt a few seconds later but unfortunately missed,” Olckers said. “They walked back to the sandy island in the middle of the river and laid down in the shade again.”

Photos courtesy of Henri Olckers Wildlife Photography.