Four lions fought in a brutal battle for dominance after passing less than 2 metres away from a stunned safari tour.

Stephan Du Preez, 28, was leading a group through Madikwe Game Reserve, South Africa, when a male wandered just a few feet past his jeep prowling after a rival.

Dramatic footage shows a younger male pinned to the ground by two older lions defending their territory while the air was filled with audible rips from their claws into his skin.

After his brother’s rescue attempt was foiled by a powerful lunge, the younger lion finally succumbed to the number’s game as the older animals maintained their supremacy.

Stephan said: “This was my first time witnessing a fight like this and it will forever be one of the greatest sightings I have ever witnessed.

“When they eventually encountered each other, both the males from the south came passed my vehicle less than 2 metres away.

“When they started chasing each other and eventually pinned the one down we were about 40 metres away as not to interfere with the animals.

“There were two groups of lions. There was an older pair – aged 12 and 11 – who were defending their territory from two brothers who came from the south region.

“They were fighting over territory. The fight lasted for about 40 minutes and it came to an end with one of the brothers being killed by the two males from the north.

“The surviving brother ended up going back up north where they came from.”

Four lions fought in a brutal battle for dominance after passing less than two metres away from a stunned safari tour.

Stephan Du Preez, 28, was leading a group through Madikwe Game Reserve, South Africa, when a male wandered just a few feet past his jeep prowling after a rival.

Dramatic footage shows a younger male pinned to the ground by two older lions defending their territory while the air was filled by audible rips from their claws into his skin.

After his brother’s rescue attempt was foiled by a powerful lunge, the younger lion finally succumbed to the number’s game as the older animals maintained their supremacy.

Stephan said: “This was my first time witnessing a fight like this and it will forever be one of the greatest sightings I have ever witnessed.

“When they eventually encountered each both the males from the south came passed my vehicle less than two metres away.

“When they started chasing each other and eventually pinned the one down we were about 40 metres away as not to interfere with the animals.

“There were two groups of lions. There were an older pair – aged 12 and 11 – who were defending their territory from two brothers who came from the south region.

“They were fighting over territory. The fight lasted for about 40 minutes and it came to an end with one of the brothers being killed by the two males from the north.

“The surviving brother ended up going back up North where they came from.”