Wild lioness nursing leopard cub - A very rare sighting

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Wild lioness nursing leopard cub - Incredible and unbelievable photos captured first time in the history

*This image is copyright of its original author

Probably this is first time ever captured in the history

Very very rare photos taken by Joop Van Der Linde, show a wild lioness suckling a leopard cub in a "very unique case" in the Serengeti national park, Tanzania.

A guest staying at the Ndutu Safari Lodge in Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Conservation Area captured the images of a five-year-old lioness, locally known as 'Nosikitok', feeding a three-week-old leopard cub.

Dr Luke Hunter, president of Panthera, a wild cat conservation organisation, said the behaviour was "mystifying".

"I know of no other example of inter-species adoption or nursing like this among big cats in the wild," he said.

This lioness is known to have recently given birth to her own cubs, which is a critical factor. She is physiologically primed to take care of baby cats, and the little leopard fits the bill - it is almost exactly the age of her own cubs and physically very similar to them.

"She would not be nursing the cub if she wasn’t already awash with a ferocious maternal drive," he added. "It is quite possible she has lost her own cubs, and found the leopard cub in her bereaved state when she would be particularly vulnerable."

*This image is copyright of its original author

Dr Hunter said that the leopard cub may struggle to survive if it remains in the pride, according to him: "It is very unlikely that the lioness' pride will accept it."

He further added: "Lions have very rich, complicated social relationships in which they recognise individuals, by sight and by roar, and so they are very well equipped to distinguish their cubs from others. If the rest of the pride finds the cub, it is likely it would be killed."

"Even its early exposure to lion society would not override the millions of years of evolution that has equipped the leopard to be a supreme solitary hunter.

"I am sure it would go its own way."

The collar was put on Nosikitok(The Lioness) by KopeLion, a Tanzanian conservation group backed by Panthera.

*This image is copyright of its original author

This news has stunned the Lion world, and made world headlines. Nosikitok, in KiMaa means colostrum, a mothers first milk. It seems very fitting in this case. Nosikitok is part of the Masek Pride.

Some one asked what happened to the cub

Ans: It seems it was a one off incident as Nosikitok is back off wandering far and wide, and the baby leopard hasn't been seen again. There is a female leopard known to be living in this area so there is a small chance it was reunited with it's mother.

Video posted by @Tshokwane - http://wildfact.com/forum/topic-bigcats-...1#pid42391 Reply