These up-close shots show the moment a leopard makes quick work of a young wildebeest who was about to cross a crocodile infested river.

It was purely by accident that Italian photographer Paolo Torchio captured the rare and spectacular event on camera, who had been in position for four days to take shots of hungry crocodiles as a herd of wildebeest crossed a river in Kenya’s Maasai Mara nature reserve.

‘My target was to take pictures of the very hungry crocs – who had been fasting for almost a year – attacking and killing the wildebeest in the river,’ the 54-year-old said.

But then he noticed the male leopard slinking out of the bushes, and stalking towards a herd of wildebeest.

Paolo, originally from Turin, Italy, has lived in Nairobi, Kenya for 25 years and has played an active role in wildlife conservation in the country.

The annual migration sees over a million wild animals move from one country to another, spanning the Maasai Mara National Reserve

Thousands of wildebeest are killed by crocodiles during the crossing but they are usually safe before entering the water. 

Dust: A vast cloud of dust was thrown into the air as the wildebeest made a frantic attempt to escape. The herd had been on the riverbank for at least four days and were just ready to cross when the leopard made its move. The annual migration sees over a million wild animals move from one country to another, spanning the Maasai Mara National Reserve Thousands of wildebeest are killed by crocodiles during the crossing but they are usually safe before entering the water

Hunt: Mr Torchio believes the wildebeest were distracted by the danger in front of them and not behind. Luckily, he already had his camera perfectly primed to capture the hunt. ‘As soon as the column of animals started running and jumping in the water from the bushes came out a leopard that, like me, was patiently waiting for that moment,’ he said

Panic: During one of the first crossings of wildebeest through the Mara River a male leopard sneaked out from the bushes and made chase. The leopard was helped by the dust and commotion of hundreds of animals running in panic, allowing the male big cat to snake in between the herd looking for the right catch

Young prey: ‘The leopard made a couple of foiled attempts but finally saw a young one coming and intercepted him – jumping from a rock without hesitation,’ said Mr Torchio, an Italian photographer from Turin, Italy who has lived in Nairobi, Kenya for 25 years

Stampede: Despite the leopard’s speed and ferocious teeth, the big cat is no match for the weight of a fully grown stampeding wildebeest. Even the smallest mistake could mean he was killed himself

Quick: The leopard made a couple of foiled attempts but finally saw a young one coming and intercepted him – jumping from a rock without hesitation. In a matter of a few seconds the young wildebeest was captured and suffocated by the big cat. Mr Torchio said that the other wildebeest seemed puzzled by the event, but the young calf didn’t stand a chance against the cat’s prowess

Jugular: Within a few seconds the leopard had claimed his prize, and dragged the young wildebeest 

Dinner: One of the Big FIve – leopards, lions, elephants, cape buffalo, and rhinoceros – leopards are the strongest of the cats ‘pound for pound’ and have an incredible ability to drag prey of the same weight up trees to avoid it being stolen by scavengers and vultures. They are notoriously secretive and have a more diverse diet than lions and are consequently much harder to spot as their hunting patterns are less predictable