Otters and Science News: LION ADOPTS BABY ANTELOPE AND LOVINGLY LICKS IT CLEAN

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A few days ago I posted the case of the single dad lion who devotedly raised his orphaned cub after mom had died. Here is another moving story showing the nurturing feelings of wild felines, which in many documented cases extend to babies of other species.

Amazing moment lion adopts tiny newborn antelope carrying it in its mouth like a cub and even LICKING the calf clean

Graeme Mitchley captured the extraordinary moment a lion adopts a baby antelope at Kruger National Park, South Africa

Mr Mitchley said he doesn't know what became of the calf's mother or how the big cat got hold of it But the teacher did witness the lion carrying the baby like a cub and attempting to lick its fur clean

Eventually the lion carried the cub out of sight, so Mr Mitchley says he doesn't know if the animal survived

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They say love is universal - and if these pictures of a lion caring for an abandoned antelope are anything to go by, they might well be right.

The extraordinary moment unfolded at Kruger National Park, in South Africa, and was captured by 45-year-old Graeme Mitchley, a deputy head teacher who was on a trip there with his wife.

Mr Mitchley photographed the deadly predator licking the calf clean and carrying it around like one of her own cubs in touching scenes.

But the lion eventually carried the calf away and out of sight, so nobody knows what became of it.

Mr Mitchley said: 'At first, it looked like a lioness carrying her cub. However, at second glance, it turned out to be a lion carrying a newborn antelope.

'The young lion carried the antelope down into the dry riverbed where we lost visual, but could still hear the antelope bleating.

'I am not sure what happened to its mum but she may have been grazing and wandered a bit too far off from her youngster.'

Mr Mitchley said: 'On this particular day there wasn't an animal in sight, never mind any lions.

'I commented to my wife that I would love to know where they had all got to.

'A few minutes later, out of nowhere a lion came walking out of the dry bush with something in its mouth.

'The young lion carried the antelope down into the dry riverbed where we lost visual, but could still hear the antelope bleating.

'The lion went into the riverbed also because there were white-backed vultures, hooded vultures and marabou storks in the vicinity hoping to take off with the buck.

'I think this was pure opportunism on the part of the lion as it must have stumbled upon the newborn whilst walking through the bush.