Male Baboon Steals & ‘Grooms’ A Lion Cub, Twitter Says, “It’s The Circle Of Life”

There are some cinematic moments that are so iconic, they remain etched in our hearts forever. Simba’s coronation scene from ‘The Lion King’ is definitely one of them where the mandrill Rafiki stands on Pride Rock and holds up the future king at the edge of the cliff while ‘The Circle of Life’ plays in the background.

According to Fox News, photographer and safari operator Kurt Schultz witnessed a similar scene in South Africa’s Kruger National Park on February 1, 2020. An adult male baboon stole a lion cub, climbed up a tree and appeared to ‘groom’ him like his own.

India Today quoted him saying,

“I drove onto the S21, one of the roads near Skukuza where I came across a troop of baboons being restless. 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.”

He further added,

“Knowing the area, I knew there were cubs present in the area and being early morning, and close to a granite rock face, I suppose the baboon troop rested during the evening on the rocks. They probably, during the early morning moved down to start their day foraging for food came across the hidden Lion cub.”

The highly unusual incident had Twitter saying that real life was imitating reel life.

It's Rafiki and Simba!!

— Sarah Taylor Long (@Phoenix1924) February 4, 2020

ITS THE CIRCLE OF LIFE!!!!

— Rutherford B. Crazy (@RutherfordCrazy) February 4, 2020

Lion King!

— 🇧🇷Michel🥛🇺🇸 (@MichelAssun1) February 4, 2020

https://twitter.com/Atonal1932/status/1224840496305983488

Amazing stuff you only find in Africa.

— D.mags (@Dmags15) February 4, 2020

However, some people very rightly pointed out that the cub might not survive as the baboons wouldn’t want him to grow up and be a threat to them.

This is not a feel good story. The lion cub was not expected to survive.

— Godzilla Dust Storm (@BroncoBob360) February 4, 2020

https://twitter.com/de_gerhardus/status/1224878035276574720

Mr. Schultz also reiterated the sentiment on Facebook. Take a look.

While the rare occurrence did bring out some parallels between life and art, ultimately nature seems to have taken its course.

Cover Image Source – left, right