This
is one of the most remarkable wildlife interactions that I have come across in
my time. The photographs are amazing, but it’s the touching behavior of
the animals involved that makes this story so unique.
Photographer Evan Schiller and
Lisa
Holzwarth were on a game drive in the northern Botswana’s Selinda
Camp when they came across a big troop of baboons charging through
the bush.
“30-40
baboons were heading in our general direction making a lot of noise,” Lisa recalls.
The
baboons were obviously frightened by something and they all scampered up trees,
shouting, alarming, and making a big scene. It quickly became clear what the
problem was: two large lionesses came out of the tall grass and rushed the
baboons into the trees, soon joined by two more lionesses.
“Between
the baboons shrieking and the lionesses communicating with deep guttural roars,
it was a mad scene,” Lisa says.
But
then the real chaos began! One brave baboon descended the dead tree and tried
to make a run for it… but got snapped up in the jaws of a lioness.
The lioness grabbed a female baboon on
the run. But there was something else there… As the baboon lay dying in the
jaws of the lioness, a little baby (less than a month old) slowly disengaged
from its mother’s body. Photograph by Evan Schiller
Instinct took over and the baby tried
to make a go for a tree, but did not have the strength to climb. At this point
the lioness noticed the “little guy” and went over to investigate. Photograph
by Evan Schiller
Instead of snapping the baby up in a
deadly movement, she started to play with the baboon. Photograph by Evan
Schiller
The lioness was inquisitive and gentle
at the same time. Photograph by Evan Schiller
“The
baby was showing signs of physical harm and fatigue from the whole ordeal. The
lioness picked the baby up in her mouth it was in agony watching the baby’s
ordeal and I kept on turning off the video option on my camera because it was
hard to record.”
In a strange behavioural twist, the
baboon started to try and suckle the lioness. Photograph by Evan Schiller
What
happened next blew our minds – the baby, in another instinctual moment, held
onto the lioness’ chest and tried to suckle…
The lioness got distracted this time by
two male lions who arrived on the scene. Their advances, however, were met with
aggression by the lioness. Was she defending the baby baboon? Or just
uninterested in their mating advances? Photograph by Evan Schiller
Here’s
where it gets interesting: Waiting in a nearby tree is a big male baboon, who
is obviously intent on saving the baby. The male lions were causing such a
ruckus that it presented a short window of opportunity for the brave hero to
descend the tree, grab the baby and head back to safety.
“I
was touched by how gently the father baboon held this little baby who was in
tough shape after its ordeal.”
The heroic male baboon, having just
saved the baby from the lions, cradled him in his arms. Photograph by Evan
Schiller
The father baboon had to make a move. Holding the baby, in
all sorts of contorted positions, he tried numerous times to climb down the
tree. He tested the lionesses’ interest with each descent. Photograph by Evan
Schiller
The
baby baboon was really struggling with the heat and the father baboon really
needed to get him into the shade. Finally, with the combination of daring
courage and the lions own desire to take cover in some shade, he was able to
dash to the safety and shade of a neighbouring tree.
And
what happened to the baby? It seems the little guy survived with the help of
his troop. He was alive and safe in his father’s arms when Evan and Lisa left.
“No
matter what,” Lisa says. “The young baboon remains an inspiration to me and a
reminder, that life is fragile and no matter how much we fight to control its
outcome, all we can do is live in the moment.”
"MOTHER'S LOVE WILL ALWAYS REMAIN THERE EVERY WHERE YOU ARE".
"MOTHER'S LOVE WILL ALWAYS REMAIN THERE EVERY WHERE YOU ARE".
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