A baboon was looking for food when it decided to steal a cub from its pride before taking it into the treetops.
Kurt Schultz filmed the incident in the Kruger National Park in South Africa. The clip shows a baboon sitting in a marula tree and when it turned around, the animal was carrying a lion cub.
“Kruger National Park with Kurt Safari, [there is] a baboon with a lion cub that it has caught,” Mr. Schultz said as he described the scene.
“Its lion cub is still very much alive and the baboon is busy grooming it.”
The cub flailed around and tried to break free but the baboon held on it tighter to keep it steady. “The cub is still alive and the “female” baboon is literally grooming it,” he expressed.
“Its an unusual sighting – first of its kind for me.”
The primate then adjusted its hold on the lion cub and started climbing through the trees while tucking the young predator under its arm.
The baboon jumped between branches before settling down to groom the cub with its fingers.
Speaking about the interaction, Mr. Schultz said: “I had a meeting at Skukuza – one of the camps – for Kurt Safari on Saturday so I was in the Kruger for the morning.
“Before the meeting, I decided to enter the park early to do some photography which is a hobby and passion of mine.
“I drove onto the S21, one of the roads near Skukuza, where I came across a troop of baboons being restless.”
He continued: “Being early morning this is relatively common but then I noticed a baboon carrying something and the rest of the troop were interested in that baboon.
“The baboon was not visible and I spent some time at the sighting as I was told it was possibly a lion cub…
“The baboons probably moved down [from the trees] during the early morning to start their day foraging for food came across the hidden lion cub.
“I first thought it was a female baboon but it was in actuality a young male baboon. The young baboon crossed the road and climbed up a marula tree.”
Mr. Schultz added: “I waited for about 30 minutes before it came into view and was moving from tree to tree.
“The rest of the troop then moved away and the baboon was grooming and caring for the lion cub as if this was a young baboon.
“I spent about an hour at the sighting and decided to leave as I had a meeting.
“It is normal for a troop of baboons to kill young leopard and lion cubs but after 20 years of being a guide this is the first time I have seen a baboon nurturing and caring for a young predator.”
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