Lion cub most likely dead

The post of this most unusual sighting, which was made by Kurt Safari, quickly went viral on social media.

“We presume that the cub will eventually die of dehydration and the manner in which it’s been cared for,” Kurt Schultz, the director of Kurt Safari Co told Lowvelder.

It is unclear how the cub came to be involved with the baboon troop. The site was said to be where lions and leopards sometimes hid their offspring.

Schultz explained that he was going about his weekend routine when it was reported to him that in the midst of a baboon troop, there might be a lion cub.

After a long period of waiting, he noticed a male baboon carrying it.

 “The baboon crossed the road and climbed a marula tree. We then noticed that the cub was alive,” he said.

It was apparently being cared for and groomed by the baboons as though it was one of their young ones.

“The cub seemed exhausted, although uninjured to the naked eye,” Schultz noted.

He said the troop soon became used to the presence of the lion and excitedly started fighting over it.

“It was already about 30°C by 08:00. Dehydration also seemed to play a part. The baboons started moving further in and I left the sighting as other vehicles arrived.”

He suspected that the unusual grooming might have caused the cub internal injuries, as it is not used to being cared for in such manner.

Gerrie Camacho, Mpumalanga Tourism & Parks Agency’s carnivore specialist, said, “A cub is about two to three weeks old. The mother of the cub might have died, because usually at that age they are hidden, or the cub was making a call that the baboons responded to. However, it is not unusual for primates to care for other animals’ young that are not theirs. The cub might have fallen from a tree and died, or has been abandoned by the troop when not responding  accordingly. It could be anything.”

“One does care for the lion cub, and wishes it grow up and live a wild and free life. However, nature has its own ways. We cannot get involved and we need to keep Kruger simple and wild,” Schultz concluded.

Schultz, who on weekends takes his camera to the bush to take pictures, had an interesting sighting when he went to an active lion sighting, but instead found “excited and playful baboons”.

The site was said to be where lions and leopards hid their cubs.

It was reported to Schultz that in the midst of the baboon troop, there might be a lion cub.

After a long period of waiting he noticed a male baboon carrying a lion cub.

“The baboon crossed the road and climbed a marula tree. We then noticed the lion cub was alive,” he said.

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The cub was supposedly cared for and groomed as if it was a young baboon.

The baboon troop soon got used to the presence of the lion and excitedly started fighting over it.

“The cub seemed exhausted, although uninjured to the naked eye,” Schultz noted.

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The unusual grooming might have caused the cub internal injuries, as it is not used to being carried for in such manner.

He further explained, “It was already about 30 degrees by 8 am. Dehydration also seemed to be playing a part. The baboons started moving further in and I left the sighting as other vehicles arrived”.

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“One does care for the lion cub, and wishes it grow up and live a wild and free life. However, nature has its own ways. We cannot get involved and we need to keep Kruger simple and wild,” he concluded.

Photo: www.kurtsafari.com