Baboon Grooming and Caring for an Adorable Lion Cub Caught on Film
Safari operator Kurt Schultz sees some incredible things while working at Kruger Park in South Africa. But when he spotted a baboon grooming and caring for a little lion cub, he just had to capture the moment on film.
Kurt was driving a safari vehicle filled with tourists through the park in the early morning when he came across a group of baboons. Of course, this is not an uncommon sight in the African reserve, but it wasn't long before he noticed something very unusual.
One of the baboons was holding a tiny lion cub in his arms. Kurt was stunned, as he had never seen anything like this in his 20 years as a safari leader.
"I went to an area very active with lion sightings recently and came upon a troop of baboons that were really excited and playful; this is normal for early mornings," Kurt said. "There was another vehicle at the baboon sighting, and it was mentioned that there was possibly a lion cub among the baboon troop."
The sighting was particularly surprising for Kurt because baboons are known to be very aggressive towards lion and leopard cubs. For that reason, Kurt understandably assumed that the cub was dead and that the baboon was proudly carrying around his kill.
But the safari operator soon realized that wasn't the case at all. In fact, the baboon was carrying the cub around, grooming and caring for it as though it were his own baby!
The baboon was seen carrying the lion cub around as though it were his own baby.
"The young baboon crossed the road and climbed up a marula tree; then he was grooming and caring for the lion cub as if it were a young baboon," Kurt said. "The males do a lot of grooming, but the care given was the same care a female would give to one of her own young."
He was grooming and caring for the cub.
"It happened so quickly," Kurt said. "I was quite anxious because I knew no one would believe me if I didn't get the footage."
And how lucky are we that Kurt managed to capture that footage! Such a remarkable sight to see!
It was something Kurt had never seen before.
You can see the incredible footage below.
Watch as the baboon cradles the cub like his own baby. Such incredible and rare moments captured on film.
Sadly, although this is an adorable sight, Kurt says it's very likely that the lion cub would not have survived. It would not have been possible for the lion pride to take the cub back, and it would not have lived among the aggressive baboons.
But Kurt says that although it's sad, it is "100 percent natural." Mother Nature sure does work in mysterious ways!
"It was nature at its best," Kurt said. "It might seem cruel to us, but if this baboon hunts down a predator, it knows that in two years' time, the roles will be reversed if the lion gets its chance."
On the other hand, there are many different stories about animals taking on babies of another species as their own, and most of them do have happy endings!
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