Baboons risked stealing the lion cub and what will happen to it when the mother lion finds out?

“This unfortunate cub has no chance of survival, in my opinion. Because of the size of the baboon tribe, a lion would be unable to bring the babies back. Most of the time, nature is merciless, and a young predator cub’s chances of survival are slim. When it grows bigger, the lion cub will be a menace to the baboons. I’ve seen baboons brutally slaughtering leopard cubs, and I’ve heard that baboons have also killed lion cubs.

Is nature truly unkind?
It is unusual to see a male baboon holding and tending a lion baby, but it did occur over the weekend in South Africa’s Kruger National Park. According to safari guide Kurt Schultz, who has been in the business for 20 years, he had never witnessed the baboon take the cub up into a tree and preen it as if it were its own. The baboon was taking care of the lion cub as though it were a young baboon. While male baboons frequently groom their young, this lion cub received the same attention a female baboon would have given to one of her own children.

The cub was probably discovered by the baboons because they had collected in a region with granite hills and boulders where lions and leopards have been known to hide their young while they went hunting.

The male “moved from branch to branch, grooming and carrying the cub for a long period of time” as the rest of the baboon tribe calmed down. The youngster appeared to be really worn out.

Unfortunately, baboon-lion relationships are not always harmonious, and I believe the cub is unlikely to survive the kidnapping.