This is the moment a lion pounces on a hapless giraffe that had tripped over in front of where the pride was resting.

The incident was filmed at Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in northern Kenya, and was shared online by conservation education officer Jonathan Odongo.

Odongo, who is also the director of Poriscape Safaris, told Newsflash: “The giraffe tripped and fell just a few metres from where the lions were resting, under the shade of the yellow-barked acacia. The lion grabbed the opportunity and pounced.”

Odongo, who was born and raised along the shores of Lake Victoria in Kenya, explained: “I’ve been in the wild long enough, but this will go down in history as the first time I witnessed a successful hunting mission – from the beginning to the emotional end of the road for the giraffe.

“The poor giraffe slid and fell when a pair of lions that was lying under a lone yellow-barked acacia in a vast lush savannah – adjacent to an equally expansive swamp – begun a more or less lazy chase.

“The gigantic fellows took advantage and pounced. The elegant giant must have been tired because he never put up a fight, save for a listless attempt to arise and shake off the lion that had already dug his paws and canines into his skin.

Odongo added: “When we were young, my siblings and I, while watching nature documentaries, would be angry at the documentary makers for not coming to the rescue of the poor victims of the big cats. It was my turn to let nature take its course.”