WATCH | Hippos, hyenas and wild dogs battle it out for two impalas

In what has been described as a rare sighting, cameras have captured an intense interaction between hyenas, hippos, wild dogs and impalas.

In the video captured by two photographers, wild dogs are roaming around a dam waiting to pounce on an impala in the water when a hippo comes into sight.

“When we saw the little impala in the water, there was a buzz of excitement at the prospect of seeing a successful chase go down, but my heart did break watching it desperately looking for an exit strategy. It’s a hard reminder of the cruel nature of the wild,” said photographer Rogan Roams.

Photographer Francois Pienaar, who captured the moment for Latest Sightings, said the chase for “morning breakfast” quickly turned into something else.

“The action escalated when a dog grabbed the impala behind the head and dragged it under water, with the hippo approaching rapidly, trying to get hold of the dog. The dog left the impala stranded in the dam.

"The hippo flung the impala into the air, leaving everyone on the vehicle in shock. The dogs then tried to see if they could get hold of the impala but the pack lost interest and left the area,” said Pienaar.