Paws off my dinner! The incredible moment a vulture chases away a jackal as they fight over a springbok carcass in South Africa 

  • The fight happened at the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in South Africa 
  • The jackal found the carcass first and was eating before the vulture arrived 
  • The aggressive vulture flaped its wings at the smaller animal, but flew away 

By FIONN HARGREAVES FOR MAILONLINE

Published: | Updated:

An aggresssive vulture managed to steal a jackal's dinner of a springbok carcass in South Africa.   

The wild animal, that is of the same family as the dog and the wolf, found the body of the animal first and was eating when the vulture swooped to the ground. 

The plucky jackal put up a fight against the large bird and bared its teeth before attacking. 

A vulture chased away a jackal in South Africa and took the springbok carcass the animal was guarding for itself

A vulture chased away a jackal in South Africa and took the springbok carcass the animal was guarding for itself

Pictured, the lappet-faced vulture starts to spread his wings in an aggressive manner as the obstinate jackal tries to pull his prize away from the bird

Pictured, the lappet-faced vulture starts to spread his wings in an aggressive manner as the obstinate jackal tries to pull his prize away from the bird

The jackal pounces at the vulture, who has fully extended its wings in a fight for the carcass

The jackal pounces at the vulture, who has fully extended its wings in a fight for the carcass

It pounced at the lappet-faced vulture, who extended its wings in a threatening manner, dwarfing the jackal. 

The canny animal tried to drag its prize away from the vulture, but the taloned bird managed to scare it away.  

The incredible fight was captured by photographer Toy Engel at the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in South Africa last month.   

The incredible fight was captured by photographer Toy Engel at the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in South Africa last month

The incredible fight was captured by photographer Toy Engel at the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in South Africa last month

The small jackal growls and barks at the vulture, who is trying to scare the animal away from the meat

The small jackal growls and barks at the vulture, who is trying to scare the animal away from the meat

The lappet-faced vulture is known for its broad shoulders and its powerful beak, which is capable of tearing off strips of meat from animal bones. 

The type of the species found towards South Africa have mostly brown feathers, instead of black. 

Lappets refer to the folds of skin that gather around its neck. 

Jackals are commonly found in the grasslands and are targeted by large birds of prey like eagles. 

The lappet-faced vulture is known for its broad shoulders and the folds of skin that gather around its neck

The lappet-faced vulture is known for its broad shoulders and the folds of skin that gather around its neck

The jackal finally turns tail and runs away from the vulture, who has folded its wings again and is pictured standing over the carcass, victorious

The jackal finally turns tail and runs away from the vulture, who has folded its wings again and is pictured standing over the carcass, victorious

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