lions kill lion

GRAPHIC: Lions Kill and Possibly Eat Elder Lion

Wildlife photographers captured a brutal moment in nature as a couple of male lions not just kill another lion but tear him apart. The video, shared by Big Cats Namibia on Thursday, shows the two lions biting and clawing at the animal whose stomach is already ripped open and guts spilling out. 

While it's unclear when the video was filmed, it most likely happened at a park in South Africa as it's credited to South African safari guide and photographer Hendri Venter and Tyron Horne, a field guide at Kruger National Park. 

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A post shared by Namibia ? Big Cats ? Nature Eats Nature?? (@bigcatsnamibia)

However, it's just an educated guess. While lions exist in multiple African countries, South Africa is home to the second largest population of wild lions, with some 3,300, according to reports. 

It's also unclear why the lion is being killed in the video. The caption suggests that it could be cannibalism - which is rare but does occasionally happen among lions - a territorial dispute, or younger males taking over a pride. 

Addressing the graphic nature of the dispute, the captions reads: "These conflicts can be brutal because male lions compete for access to resources such as territory, food, and mates. The victorious male lion establishes dominance, ensuring his genes are passed on to future generations."

Within just two hours of posting, the video garnered more than 700,000 views, almost 20,000 likes, and more than 800 comments.