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![Shark vs. Fish]()
I captured this moment off Seal Island, Cape Town. Waiting for a shark to rise from the cold waters, when suddenly without warning, an explosion of raw power thrust itself out of the water. It was all over in a split second, but it will last in my memory forever.![Lions vs. Buffalo]()
A pair of lions fight for a buffalo at the Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana.![Zebra vs. Lioness]()
A young lioness attacks zebras in Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. The zebras escaped.![Snake vs. Frog]()
The photo was taken on a Canon EOS Digital Rebel T1 in July of 2009, in a neighborhood close to Fort Myers Beach, FL. The photograph shows a snake eating a frog (which is showing resistance to the snake).![Anhinga vs. Fish]()
Two years ago I discovered a reclaimed wetlands area near our winter home in Melbourne, Florida, writes the photographer. I was there photographing waterbirds in February when I noticed an anhinga making several dives underwater, apparently looking for food. I positioned myself at the water’s edge and waited for the anhinga to surface. After dozens of dives, the anhinga rewarded me with this picture of his catch. The surprised look on the fish’s face mirrors my surprise that I was able to capture the photograph.![Vulture vs. Vulture]()
An adult and a juvenile Bearded Vulture (a threatened species) have a quarrel over food. This action was captured at Giants Castle in the Drakensberg region of Southern Africa.![Gazelle vs. Cheetah]()
This photo was taken during a safari in Tsavo East, Kenya. It was nearing midday at the end of August when we were called to witness this spectacular event showing Darwin's "survival of the fittest." The chase itself lasted for about 15 seconds whereas the actual kill took 5 whole minutes!![Egret vs. Fish]()
In that split second when the egret's head plunges into the water, panic among the fish is evident by their escape into the air.![Crocodile vs. Wildebeest]()
This image was recorded in September 2009 in the Masai Mara region of Kenya, where wildebeest and zebras had been collecting near a river for several hours. They made many aborted attempts to cross, with crocodiles lying in wait, anticipating the animals. One zebra led the way and crossed safely. That triggered the masses of wildebeest to follow suit. I focused on the smaller wildebeest as they crossed the river and watched as the crocodiles got close to their prey.![Cheetah vs. Gazelle]()
Two adolescent brothers try their best to bring a gazelle down. End of story? The mother cheetah did it.Predator vs. Prey: National Geographic's 2009 Photo Contest
Every year, National Geographic's International Photography Contest draws thousands of spectacular photos from users around the world. We've culled a selection of killer shots of predators in the heat of the kill, with captions written by the photographers themselves. Think you can do better? Well the contest isn't over yet! Get off your duff and visit the site, where you can vote for your favorite, play puzzles download wallpaper — and enter your own photo for a chance to win a digital camera kit and have your image published in the magazine.
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- Predator vs. Prey: National Geographic's 2009 Photo Contest
