Kurt Schultz, a 43-year-old guide, spotted the young lion cub while recording a safari in Kruger National Park. The cub was encircled by a group of baboons.
Their appearance was not encouraging. Kurt was concerned that they might sever the King of Beasts’ helpless cub.
Visitors to the park were shocked when one of the men quickly snatched the youngster and started climbing the Marula tree with him.
Fortunately, none of the other monkeys sprinted after the elusive meal.
But everyone who witnessed this kidnapping felt their hearts sink with dread. A small lion cub could at any time escape his grasp and fall to the ground.
Everyone was also concerned that the baboon would bring the lion cub back to the troop that was still below. The infant would then have no chance of being saved.
Thankfully, none of these occurred.
With a lion cub in his arms, the kidnapper calmly sat down on one of the trees and started to pet and cuddle the animal as though it were his.
For a considerable amount of time, the male kept the lion cub in his paws. He travelled with him from branch to branch and displaying genuine parental care.
Everyone is familiar with a similar sequence from the classic film “The Lion King,” in which the sage monkey Rafiki saves Simba by catching him and hoisting him into the air.
