The dramatic moment a tiger kills a deer has been captured by a photographer who waited 660 hours during 220 safaris in India to get the perfect shot.

Stunning photos show the big cat sprinting after its prey before leaping on its back and dragging it away in Ranthambore National park, Rajasthan, India.

The sequence of images was captured by British photographer Andy Rouse who has spent years waiting to see a tiger hunt unfolding in front of him.

The dramatic moment a tiger kills a deer has been captured by a photographer who waited 660 hours during 220 safaris in India to get the perfect shot

Stunning photos show the big cat sprinting after its prey before leaping on its back and dragging it away in Ranthambore National park, Rajasthan, India

The sequence of images was captured by British photographer Andy Rouse who has spent years waiting to see a tiger hunt unfolding in front of him

Until this point, the photographer had failed to capture what he referred to as ‘the holy grail’ of photographing tigers.

He said: ‘I have tried repeatedly to capture a tiger making a kill in the open, which is the holy grail of tiger shots because it’s so rare.

‘It is like winning the animal lottery of wildlife photography to get shots of a kill in the open, in the sun where the light is right. It was a superb day.’

‘It was definitely one of the highlights of my year seeing a wild tiger kill in the open and actually ɱaпaging to photograph it too!’

After making an initial three-month trip to take photos for his first book on the majestic creatures, the tiger enthusiast has gone back to Ranthambore on countless trips to observe the tigers.

Stalking: Until this point, the photographer had failed to capture what he referred to as ‘the holy grail’ of photographing tigers

Attack: The tiger stalked its prey before sprinting after it and leaping on to its back in a dramatic ten minutes on the safari 

The photographer and his six-ɱaп team came close to observing a kill on several occasions but luck was never on their side

On the day of the kill, Mr Rouse was following female tiger Noor T39 (all tigers in the reserve are numbered), along a stone valley when she suddenly stopped and sat down, putting her legs underneath her

After playing with her prey for a few minutes, Noor dragged it to a cave, out of the scorching 45 celsius heat in Rajasthan, India

Flying out for two-week stints, the safari drives lasted three hours at a ᴛι̇ɱe and were completed in the early morning and evening hours to avoid the hostile dayᴛι̇ɱe temperatures, which could reach over 100 degrees Celsius.

The photographer and his six-ɱaп team came close to observing a kill on several occasions but luck was never on their side.

He said: ‘You’ve just got to come round the corner at the right ᴛι̇ɱe when the tiger is waiting to make a kill. An awful lot of things have got to come together for it to go perfectly.’

‘I’ve had ɱaпy ᴛι̇ɱes watching a tiger in what I would call the perfect kill situation and then for whatever reason they didn’t go for it. We were all sat there waiting, thinking “why aren’t you doing it?” And then when they do go for it the chance of seeing a kill in the open is very low.’

From static to full-speed in a moment, the tigress quickly overtook the deer, before using her strength and size to take down her prey

On the day of the kill, Mr Rouse was following a female tiger, along a stone valley when she suddenly stopped and sat down, putting her legs underneath her

The giant tiger used all of its power to spring an attack on the deer, before dragging it down and clamping its jaws around its neck

Surrounded by boulders and on an uneven, rocky riverbed, the Sambar Deer stood no chance against the power and speed of the tigress

On the day of the kill, Mr Rouse was following female tiger Noor T39 (all tigers in the reserve are numbered), along a stone valley when she suddenly stopped and sat down, putting her legs underneath her.

He said: ‘I knew from working with cats that this was a sign she was getting ready to run.’

‘She gazed intently at us and just as I turned to see what she was looking at I heard some stones falling and saw a Sambar deer appear from the bushes.’

From static to full-speed in a moment, the tigress quickly overtook the deer, before using her strength and size to destroy her prey.

Surrounded by boulders and on an uneven, rocky riverbed, the Sambar Deer stood no chance against the power and speed of the tigress.

As an experienced wildlife photographer Mr Rouse had seen plenty of hunts in the past but the brutality of the tiger’s kill surprised even him

Flying out for two-week stints, the safari drives lasted three hours at a ᴛι̇ɱe and were completed in the early morning and evening hours to avoid the hostile dayᴛι̇ɱe temperatures, which could reach over 100 degrees Celsius

As well as the hunt, Mr Rouse ɱaпaged to capture the big cat feasting on its prey after it dragged the animal away behind rocks

Dinner ᴛι̇ɱe: The stunning tiger tucked into its dinner after dragging it away behind rocks at Ranthambore National park, Rajasthan, India

Mr Rouse said: ‘I’ve seen lots of kills but when you see a tiger kill it’s the awesome power and focus of the tiger that gets you

‘The tiger was bouncing from boulder to boulder and just grabbed the deer and pulled it down. From start to finish it was over in 10 minutes.’

As an experienced wildlife photographer Mr Rouse had seen plenty of hunts in the past but the brutality of the tiger’s kill surprised even him.

‘I’ve seen lots of kills but when you see a tiger kill it’s the awesome power and focus of the tiger that gets you. My adrenaline was pumping. Nothing prepared me for the raw savagery of the tiger charge. She was a bold and confident hunter.’