A baboon re-created an iconic scene from 'The Lion King' by carrying a lion cub, and the photographer said he'd never seen anything like it

  • A male baboon was photographed carrying around a lion cub in a scene straight out of "The Lion King."
  • The unusual scene took place on Saturday at Kruger National Park in South Africa.
  • Kurt Schultz, the operator of Kurt Safari, said he'd never seen such behavior in 20 years.
  • "Male baboons do a lot of grooming, but the care given to this lion cub was the same care given by a female baboon to one of her own young," he told The Associated Press.
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Many of us are familiar with the iconic scene in "The Lion King" when Rafiki holds a young Simba aloft in front of all the animals of the savanna. It turns out a version of that actually happened — and, of course, there are photos to prove it.

The bizarre scene happened in South Africa's Kruger National Park on Saturday. Kurt Schultz, the operator of Kurt Safari, said he'd never seen such behavior in 20 years.

Schultz said the male baboon likely had found the lion cub alone.
Kurt Safari

He told The Associated Press that the male baboon was treating the lion cub as if it were one of its babies.

"Male baboons do a lot of grooming, but the care given to this lion cub was the same care given by a female baboon to one of her own young," he said.

The fate of the lion cub is unknown.
Kurt Safari

He said the baboon kept moving from branch to branch, carrying the cub. Schultz added that the cub "seemed very exhausted" and was "showing signs of dehydration" on what was a hot morning.

He said it was possible the baboons had discovered the lion cub, adding that a group of the primates (known as a "troop") was in an area where lions and leopards would sometimes leave their cubs while they go out to hunt prey.

The male baboon and the lion cub were seen in an area where lions tend to leave their young while hunting prey, Schultz said.
Kurt Safari

While Rafiki was kind and nurturing (if a bit mischievous) in "The Lion King," it's doubtful the real-life baboon would take care of the lion cub as well, Schultz told the AP. He said the troop of baboons was large enough that it would be hard for the cub's mother to snatch it back, adding that he had even heard of baboons killing lion cubs.

Schultz said the lion cub appeared "exhausted."
Kurt Safari

"Nature is cruel at most times, and the survival of a young predator cub is not easy," he said.

Schultz said he'd never seen anything like the male baboon holding the lion cub in 20 years.
Kurt Safari

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