Like most bird species, Egyptian geese aggressively protect their nests from any potential threats. But when a baboon in South Africa's Kruger National Park set its sights on a tasty goose egg snack, no amount of mobbing from the avian parents could deter the primate from its prize.

“I saw this baboon come bouncing along and realised the geese were distressed," explains Colin Pretorius, a Sales and Marketing Manager at Ngwenya Lodge who filmed the action from his office on the southern fringes of the reserve. "I could see the baboon was on a mission and looked completely fearless. He was with a troop but was the only one that was determined to get to the eggs for a taste."

Chacma baboons have a varied diet and will scoff down everything from roots to small livestock. The primates usually forage on the ground, which makes nests like this one particularly vulnerable.

"This was his second attempt at trying to get to the nest," according to Pretorius. "There are literally hundreds of Egyptian geese that have come and laid eggs in this area over the last few years so the breeding ground is a great place to grab a snack. The attempt paid off because he must have just decided that this time round he wasn’t going to be deterred. It was an awesome sighting to see."

Egyptian geese construct their nests out of reeds, leaves and grass, before lining them with down feathers. These common waterbirds usually nest on the ground, but have been known to build their homes in trees, on ledges, in burrows, on cliffs, and occasionally even on buildings. It is believed that Egyptian geese mate for life, so this is probably not the first time that this duo have had their nests raided by opportunistic predators. Unfortunately for the birds, this time the cocky baboon came out on top.

Header image: Peter Stewart