Tragic hippo tot is tossed around by crocodile after young animal is snatched while its mother had her back turned

Splashing around in the water with macabre glee, a crocodile flings a young hippo calf around in its jaws like a rag doll.

The giant predator reared out of the water to reveal the tiny carcass after apparently snatching its prey while its mother's back was turned.

Amateur photographer Roland Ross captured these incredible photographs near Lower Sabie in Kruger Park, South Africa.

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Treated like a rag doll: An enormous crocodile tosses a young hippo calf around in its jaws near Lower Sabie in Kruger National Park

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Hunter and the hunted: The giant predator reared out of the water to reveal the tiny carcass, before tossing it through the air like a toy

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Snapped up: Amateur photographer Roland Ross captured these incredible photographs when the crocodile was swimming in a small dam

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Brutal: Photographer Roland Ross when taken by surprise when the predator reared out of the water with the young hippo between its teeth

Mr Ross was watching the huge crocodile swimming in a small dam when he was shocked by the brutal scene.

Mr Ross said: 'I could see the croc had something in its mouth as it began to come our way.

'The crocodile then began to perform all sorts of antics with the baby hippo.

'It was throwing it in the air, spinning and jumping and splashing.'

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Mr Ross said: 'The crocodile began to perform all sorts of antics with the baby hippo, throwing it in the air, spinning and jumping and splashing'

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'We have seen croc kills before, but we have never seen a croc playing with its prey': Photographer Roland Ross was shocked by predator's antics

Mr Ross, who was on holiday with his wife when the events unfolded, was stunned by the size of the animal as average crocodiles in the area grow to around four meters.

Ross said: 'We didn't see any kill take place. The hippo could have been dead for any number of reasons, sometimes male hippos will occasionally kill babies too.

'We have seen croc kills before, but we have never seen a croc playing with its prey.

'One could compare it to an Orca Whale playing with a seal. It looked to me as almost identical behaviour.'

Mr Ross watched the crocodile's performance for around 25 minutes before it took its food into deeper water and disappeared from sight.

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Unforgiving environment: The crocodile appears to have snatched the hippo while its mother's back was turned

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Dinner time: Mr Ross watched the crocodile's performance for around 25 minutes before it took its food into deeper water and disappeared from sight