• by Joe Mandese  @mp_joemandese, December 28, 2007

The "Battle at Kruger," an amateur video clip featuring an epic life-and-death battle between a herd of water buffaloes, a pride of lions and a crocodile vying for a young calf, was the most watched video on YouTube during 2007, according to an analysis of the online video service's rankings reported by Reuters.

The eight-minute video, shot by a tourist in South Africa's Kruger National Park, was viewed more than 21 million times on YouTube. By comparison, CBS, the top-rated television network, averaged 11.8 million prime-time viewers through week 13 of the 2007-08 television season.

Other top YouTube videos of the year included Britney Spears fan Chris Crocker's "Leave Britney Alone" clip, a tearful defense of the pop star's treatment by the tabloid press. The clip has been viewed 14 million times and is the fourth most commented on clip in YouTube's history.

Another top YouTube videos of the year included the infamous, swooning "Obama Girl" video. The clip, produced by Barely Political and featuring a sexy young woman singing adoringly about Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama, has been viewed more than 4 million times on YouTube, excluding coverage of the video on conventional TV news outlets.