Baboon steals lion cub, grooms it. Video reminds people of Lion King | Trending - Hindustan Times
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Baboon steals lion cub, grooms it. Video reminds people of Lion King

Johannesburg | ByAssociated Press
Feb 05, 2020 02:22 PM IST

The baboon took the cub up into a tree and preened it as if it were its own.

A male baboon carrying and grooming a lion cub is an unusual sight, yet it happened over the weekend in South Africa’s Kruger National Park.

A male baboon carries a lion cub in a tree in the Kruger National Park, South Africa.(AP)
A male baboon carries a lion cub in a tree in the Kruger National Park, South Africa.(AP)

The baboon took the cub up into a tree and preened it as if it were its own, said safari operator Kurt Schultz, who in 20 years had never seen such behaviour.

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“The baboon was grooming the lion cub as if it was a baby baboon,” Schultz said in an email to The Associated Press. “Male baboons do a lot of grooming but the care given to this lion cub was the same care given by a female baboon to one of her own young.”

Schultz said when he first saw the baboons early Saturday, the troop of baboons was excited and animated. It is possible they had discovered the lion cub, he said.

The baboon took the little cub into the tree. (AP)
The baboon took the little cub into the tree. (AP)

The baboons had gathered in an area with granite hills and boulders where lions and leopards have been known to hide their cubs while they go hunting, he said, and that’s likely how the baboons found the cub.

Baboons “are really strong animals and when they were all excited and fighting over the baby in the beginning, it could have been injured internally,” Schultz said. It was a hot morning and the cub was also showing signs of dehydration, he said.

While the rest of the baboon troop settled down, the male “moved from branch to branch, grooming and carrying the cub for a long period of time,” Schultz said. “The cub seemed very exhausted.”

Schultz and others on safaris in the park watched the rare sight and took photographs.

“I don’t see a chance of this poor cub surviving. The troop of baboons was large and a lion would not be able to get the young back,” Schultz said. “Nature is cruel at most times and the survival of a young predator cub is not easy. The lion cub would pose a threat to the baboons when it gets older. I have witnessed baboons viciously killing leopard cubs and have heard of baboons killing lion cubs.”

Here’s the video which was shared on Kruger Sightings YouTube page:

People had a lot to say about the video. There were many who were reminded of Rafiki and Simba from the movie Lion King. Some were simply amazed to see the video. There were also those who wrote that the cub will probably end up dead.

“The baboon was inspired by the Lion King movie,” wrote a Facebook user. “Who else thinks this looks the scene right out of the lion king!?” wrote another. “This is new. Wow. Never seen anything like it,” exclaimed another. “Ya that cub is probably dead now,” wrote a fourth.

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