Friends in high places! Antelope comes face to face with an elephant as it leaps high into the air
- The impala jumped in front of the elephant in the Mashatu Reserve in Botswana
- The animals are known to leap huge distances for fun and for protection
- The incredible moment was captured by wildlife photographer Janet Kleyn
An antelope leaped to the height of an elephant in an incredible moment captured by a wildlife photographer.
The impala came eye to eye with the huge mammal as it jumped in the air at the Mashatu Game Reserve in Botswana.
The animals are known to leap huge distances both as a way to protect themselves from predators and for entertainment.
An antelope leaped to the height of an elephant in an incredible moment captured by a wildlife photographer
Janet Kleyn, 52, who captured the moment, said: ‘I was sitting in an underground photographic hide at Mashatu Game Reserve, photographing the elephant approaching the water.
‘The impala was drinking off to the left and all of a sudden jumped into my viewfinder and I got the shot.
‘Impalas will jump when they are startled and they can reach heights of up to three meters.
The impala was eye to eye with the huge mammal as it jumped in the air at the Mashatu Game Reserve in Botswana
‘The way that the impalas jump is thought to be a way of showing off and demonstrating their strength and ability to the intruder.
‘It is obvious that this impala didn’t notice the approaching elephant. He had only just caught sight of him as he got closer to the water.
‘The elephant was not showing any signs of aggression towards the impala.’