A Rare Moment Captured
One outstanding photographer is Graham Dhyer. He was lucky enough to witness a rare and incredibly special moment in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve in Botswana. Neither he nor the people he was with will ever forget what happened.
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He was with a tour group when they came across a lion family. The family included two lionesses, three cubs, and one male. The group was fascinated with the lion family and was anxious to follow them and grab some special photos.
The Lioness Spots Something
After following the lions to and from the watering hole, the group noticed that what seemed like the lead lioness was looking down at an injured bat-eared fox on the pathway. They were fascinated at how she stopped and took a look, and wondered what she was thinking.
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It was clear that the little animal was injured, as it couldn’t work and was crawling along. The lioness kept staring at it. You could see the intelligence on the face of the lioness and almost feel her thinking about her options.
The Male Joins the Discussion
Pretty soon, the male lion sauntered onto the scene – he was probably looking for food but seemed uninterested in the injured fox. He and the lioness stared at one another as if discussing what to do.
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It could be that the fox was not part of the lion’s dietary preferences, but watching the two beautiful lions standing over the injured fox was a sight no one would forget. Photographer Dhyer was thrilled to be getting such amazing shots.
The Fox Keeps Talking
It seemed like a very long time since the fox was yipping at the lions as more of the family joined the scene. The tour group thought that the lions would just take the fox for food, but it was clear that was not the plan.
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Each time one of the lions got near him, even the cubs, the fox would screech. Was it talking to them, asking for help? Or was it frightened and hoping they would go away? The scene was incredibly interesting to the tour group.
The Lions Approach the Fox
As the male lost interest and went off to the side of the road to rest, the female and the cubs decided it was time to get to know this little guy. So they all approached the fox with curiosity, and the tour group waited for what would happen next.
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Aside from the male, the rest of the family wanted to know more. The faces of the lionesses indicated to those who were watching that they didn’t want to hurt the little fox. So, what were they going to do?
The Lion Takes a Closer Look
Apparently, the lion wasn’t satisfied with just getting a glimpse at the fox. He wanted to be up close and personal. He probably needed to smell the animal and decide what he wanted to do with it.
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While he was doing this, the lioness was close, ready to defend the little creature. Her babies accompanied her to see what would happen. Now the lion had to decide if he was going to fight the lioness over this rare find.
The Lioness Defends the Fox
The lead lioness seemed determined not to hurt the injured fox. She took on a defensive pose as if challenging anyone to do more harm to the animal. What was happening? Lions are supposed to be ferocious, but this lioness was being a mom!
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It seemed to the tourists that the lioness had almost adopted the little creature, recognizing that it was someone’s baby and it was hurt. It was an incredibly touching scene, and Dhyer couldn’t stop snapping pictures.
Bravely Defending the Fox
At one point, the male lion approached the fox, and it seemed like he might grab it in his teeth and take it away. At that point, the lioness walked forward with a grim look on her beautiful face.
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The lioness did not like that at all. She even kicked the male as if to say, “Leave him alone!” At that point, the male did not proceed any further. The group watching was awe-struck that the lioness was so protective.
The Male and Female Argue
The male was obviously angry and insulted that the lioness denied him access to the fox. He took a swing at her and she fought back. They began to roar at each other and the fight became loud and frightening.
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The lioness protected that fox and would not back down – the male did not like being told what to do. It seemed that the argument would not be settled any time soon. She would not give the male lion any access to the fox and seemed like she was protecting it at all costs.
The Search for Food Wins
After a while, the pride heard something in the distance, perhaps an animal of prey, and they ran in that direction to seek their sustenance. While Graham Dhyer and his group tried to follow them, they couldn’t catch up.
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The fox was left alone on the path, no longer fearful for its life and no longer protected by the lioness. After a while, it managed to stand and stumble off. He owed his life to the lioness’ motherly kindness.