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It isn’t often that one gets to see a leopard cub being smacked in the face by a lizard. Which is why it was such a special moment for Costa Frangeskides, who saw and captured the entire scene (video above) while on vacation at the Kaingu Safari Lodge in Zambia.

He was on safari with other tourists when he saw two leopards stalking a monitor lizard on the road. He told Latest Sightings, “The lizard knew that it was in trouble and immediately began thrashing its tail around from side to side in order to protect itself.”

The video shows the lizard putting up a brave fight and slapping the leopard several times. “The tail is a pretty powerful tool,” said Frangeskides, and it certainly looks like it. “However, once the lizard had its back to the leopard he was able to grab him at the back of the neck and make off into the bushes with his treat.”

Unfortunately, it looked as though the courageous lizard didn’t survive the ordeal. As Frangeskides put it, “Once again nature has a way to hold you in suspense and play out a multitude of emotions within your soul.”