A mother giraffe accidentally broke her newborn calf’s neck with a fatal misguided kick after attempting to fight off a savage attack from a hungry lioness.

A mother giraffe accidentally broke her newborn calf’s neck with a fatal misguided kick after attempting to fight off a savage attack from a hungry lioness

The brutal encounter shows a frantic mother wildly kicking out at the deadly lion but tragically striking her own child

As her calf lay dying, the distraught giraffe frantically tries to revive her baby before mournfully traipsing away, circling back to look at her lost child every few metres

‘Tragically her aim is slightly off and it is her baby’s neck that receives the full force of the blow, rather than the lion’s.

‘The mother giraffe continues to pursue the lion for a while but her attempts are futile. The lioness lies down a little way off, comfortable in the knowledge that she just has to wait it out