Pictures of a catfight among lions have begun to go viral after the images were widely disseminated by Yahoo News.

The lions in the African savannah started to quarrel about 20 yards away from photographers in adjacent areas of the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya and the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania.

Just as the sun was rising over the horizon, a dominant male lion from one pride walked over to another group, instigating the savage eruption that was caught on film.

The photos show the progression of one cat slowly approaching another -- and then, in a dramatic scene, the lions instantly begin to tussle with their large teeth out.

They are pictured clawing at each other, with vicious looks on their faces.

In another shot, female lions start to gang up on a male lion.

The primary photographer, amateur Andrew Atkinson, reportedly said the female lions probably felt threatened and were trying to protect their cubs. 

In one shot, a female lion aims for a male’s throat -- and the latter looks as if he’s roaring in agony.

The Inquisitr noted it is hard to tell what the outcome of the fight was since there were no visible wounds and little to no bloodshed. The animals may have walked away from the battle uninjured.

Click here to check out the 12 photos of the savannah catfight this week. 

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