The Baboon Rafiki holding lion cub Simba is one of the most iconic scenes that we all remember from the film- The Lion King.
In this article, we’ll show you the real-life Rafiki who stole a lion cub while foraging for food and groomed it as he sits on a tree with ‘Simba’.
The video footage of the real-life Simba and Rafiki was shot by Kurt Schultz in the Kruger National Park, South Africa.
In the viral video, the adult baboon can be seen sitting with a lion cub, on a marula tree as the sun shines.
It turns around to reveal that it is holding a lion cub which is crying out feebly in distress.
Mr. Schultz beautifully narrated the memorable scene that was happening right in front of his eyes and said: ‘Kruger National Park with Kurt Safari, [there is] a baboon with a lion cub that it has caught.
He continues: ‘The cub is still alive and the “female” baboon is literally grooming it.
‘It’s an unusual sighting – first of its kind for me.’
‘I had a meeting at Skukuza – one of the camps – for Kurt Safari on Saturday so I was in the Kruger for the morning.
‘Before the meeting, I decided to enter the park early to do some photography which is a hobby and passion of mine.
‘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…
‘The baboons probably moved down [from the trees] during the early morning to start their day foraging for food came across the hidden lion cub.
‘I first thought it was a female baboon but it was in actuality a young male baboon.
‘The young baboon crossed the road and climbed up a marula tree.
‘I waited for about 30 minutes before it came into view and was moving from tree to tree.
‘The rest of the troop then moved away and the baboon was grooming and caring for the lion cub as if this was a young baboon.
‘I spent about an hour at the sighting and decided to leave as I had a meeting.
‘It is normal for a troop of baboons to kill young leopard and lion cubs but after 20 years of being a guide this is the first time I have seen a baboon nurturing and caring for a young predator.’
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