Lions are truly the king of the savanna. This maneless male had no hesitation taking on a croc along the water’s edge.

With tiny cubs in tow, the lion warns the reptile not to mess with his brood. The lion bravely walks over to the reptile and begins repeatedly swatting it over the head with his colossal paws. The crocodile seems unsure about how to react, but holds his ground against the formidable beast.

After a final series of “boops” to the head, the lions sit casually next to the confused crocodile while their tiny cubs play nearby.

While this big cat may look like a female, he’s actually a maneless male. Contrary to popular belief, not all male lions have manes. Males in in the Tsavo area generally lack the famous coif, perhaps an adaptation to climate or local conditions. West African lions are also often seen with scanty, or missing, manes.

Though it may seem like this male is being a bit of a bully, he’s just taking his responsibilities seriously; Male lions are generally in charge of defending and protecting the pride, while the females do the majority of the hunting.

This incredible encounter was filmed by a tourist in Kenya’s Samburu National Park, who was understandably shocked to witness the interaction.