A surprising series of images depict an unexpected twist of nature that occurred in an African park in November 2014.
A tiny motherless baboon faces off with a fierce lioness and the results are quite stunning.
The incredible pictures were taken by golf photographer Evan Schiller while he and his wife, Lisa Holzwarth, were on a game drive in northern Botswana’s Selinda Camp report DailyMail.
Holzwarth wrote extensively about the fascinating yet surreal experience on her blog, The LEO Chronicles.
A lioness holds a baboon by the scruff of her neck as her tiny baby clings to her.
The mother died and the baby baboon attempted to escape the big cat by climbing a tree. The tiny primate was too weak to get far as the lioness looked on.
The lioness sizes up the monkey looking as thought she is about to have a snack.
The monkey shows defiance on its face and the lioness appears to take a swipe, but did she harm the baby?
The lioness began to play with the baby, before gently picking it up in her mouth before sitting down and cradling the baboon in her giant paws.
Feeling comforted by the big cat the baby primate reached up in a hopeless attempt to suckle.
The unlikely pair spent time relaxing together with the tiny primate playing with the gentle lioness in a display of trust. But was the baby really safe?
Two male lions arrived to assess the situation, but the lioness met them with aggression in an effort to protect her charge in a show of unexpected compassion.
While the lions were distracted with each other, a male baboon who had been observing the scene from a nearby tree made a dash to save the baby from the big cats and take it to safety in the heights of the tree tops.
Back in safety, the tiny baby receives soothing cuddles after his great adventure.
