A Connecticut photographer filmed a spectacular confrontation between a newborn baboon and a 350-pound lioness in a Botswana game park. The stunning photos capture the moment the baboon’s mother is s.l.a.in, leaving the infant alone with the howling predator. Instead of eating the little creature, a beautiful scene unfolds in which the young baboon seeks to breastfeed the lioness and the large cat plays along softly. The young one is eventually lifted to safety by his gallant father in the intriguing show seen on video. That’s when a large group of baboons — the leopard’s archenemy – came dashing through the jungle, creating a commotion.
‘Then the baboons began shrieking – again, we had no clue why, but from their lofty position in the trees, they had a far better vantage point to take in the whole surroundings,’ wrote Holzwarth. She stated that it was immediately evident what the issue was: two big lionesses had emerged from the long grass and charged at the baboons. Two additional lionesses quickly joined them. ‘It was a chaotic situation with the baboons wailing and the lionesses communicating with deep guttural roars,’ Holzwarth recounted, adding that the lionesses were clawing at the trees, making the baboons even more scared.
But then the true mayhem started. She reports three baboons attempting to ‘make a break for it’ to another clump of trees. Two arrived unharmed, but a third was devoured by a lioness. ‘We witnessed a young baby (less than a month old) gently disengaging from its mother’s lif.ele.ss cor.pse while the third baboon lay d.y.ing on the ground,’ she revealed of the little darling. Despite its early age, the infant baboon’s instinct was to avoid danger and seek refuge in a tree.
‘Unfortunately, it was unable to do so fast or silently,’ she added. ‘While it had strong instincts, it hadn’t yet learned speed or agility.’ Despite its early age, the infant baboon’s instinct was to avoid danger and seek refuge in a tree. However, it did not survive, and one of the lionesses began playing ‘cat and mouse’ with the baby baboon. ‘The infant was crying and smacking the lioness on the snout,’ Holzwarth remembered. ‘Every time it looked to make a little bit of headway in its vertical escape attempt, the lioness was softly knocking the infant off the trunk of the tree.’
The lionesses observed the infant baboon at that point. They did not, however, go for the k.i.ll. Instead, they were captivated, and one of the lionesses began playing ‘cat and mouse’ with the youngster. ‘The infant was crying and smacking the lioness on the snout,’ Holzwarth remembered. ‘Meanwhile, the lioness was gently knocking the infant from the trunk of the tree whenever it appeared to make a little bit of headway in its vertical escape attempt.’ Finally, the lioness gently, without crushing it, took the young baboon into its jaws and placed it on the ground in front of her.
‘What followed blew our heads,’ she wrote. ‘In another intuitive moment, the infant grasps the lioness’ bosom and tries to suckle… Evan’s photographs explain it all.’ The lioness scooped up the youngster in her jaws after letting it ‘suckle’ for a bit. Holzwarth stated she was in misery as she saw its ordeal. The lionesses were then distracted – by two male lions the tour party had seen the day before – allowing the baboon’s father to rescue the vulnerable child.
‘With the lionesses preoccupied with fending off the brothers’ amorous efforts, the Big Male Baboon, which had been attempting in vain to save the baby all along, was suddenly able to climb down the tree, take the infant, and then head back up for safety,’ Holzwarth stated. When they left, the baby was ‘alive and secure in his father’s arms,’ she added, ‘and that’s how I prefer to remember it.’ She went on to say that the brave baby baboon is still an inspiration to her. ‘Regardless, he remains an inspiration to me – and a reminder that life is precious and that no matter how much I try to control its fate, I am at the whim of the cosmos.’
We can only exist in the present moment.’ The lionesses were soon distracted – by two male lions the tour party had seen the day before – allowing the baboon’s father to rescue the helpful child. ‘With the lionesses preoccupied with fending off the brothers’ amorous efforts, the Big Male Baboon, which had been attempting in vain to save the baby all along, was suddenly able to climb down the tree, take the infant, and then head back up for safety,’ Holzwarth stated. She added that the tiny boy was ‘alive and secure in his father’s arms’ as they left, ‘and that’s how I prefer to remember it,’ and that he continues to be an inspiration to her throughout her life.
