A baby elephant, left behind by its mother, was forced to fend for itself when a group of lions took an interest in the vulnerable calf.

The recent encounter occurred around 6:30 a.m. just north of Mopani Camp in Kruger National Park in South Africa.

Brent Schnupp, 55, from Virginia captured the rare scene and shared his story with Latest Sightings.

While on safari, Schnupp and his group saw a younger male and a female lion “enjoying a peaceful moment of coexistence.”

“However, the tranquility was short-lived,” Schnupp wrote. “Our attention was drawn to an adult female elephant emerging from the thicket ahead of us. She appeared to be in distress and was crossing the road with great haste. Little did we know at the time that she had left behind her vulnerable calf.

“The lions, sensing an opportunity, came onto the road and soon realized that the mother elephant had left her calf behind. The younger male lion took the lead in chasing the defenseless baby elephant. In contrast, the older male lion just stood and watched on, while the lioness also seemed uninterested.

“It was an emotional moment as the baby elephant stood in confusion, contemplating whether to make a break for it or confront the lions. The lions attempted [to attack] multiple times, but the baby elephant turned to face them every time.”

The brave ploy worked to discourage the lions, though you see this only once in the video.

“The little one displayed remarkable courage and bravery,” Schnupp wrote. “The lions, despite their numerical advantage and years of experience, couldn’t manage to get a grip on the calf. The standoff continued until the lions eventually gave up, seemingly convinced that they couldn’t overpower the young elephant.

“In my six years of visiting Kruger National Park, I’ve never witnessed anything quite like this. Even our seasoned guides from Leo Vantage were astonished, admitting that they had never seen lions chasing a baby elephant during their entire time in Kruger.”

Story originally appeared on For The Win