A Safari Ending No One Expected
After a four-day safari in Kenya’s Mara North Conservancy, wildlife photographer and safari enthusiast Hanno Erlmann thought his trip might wrap up quietly. While he had spotted his fair share of wildlife, the trip had mirrored most of his typical Kruger visits, full of promise, but without any jaw-dropping drama.
Little did he know that everything would change on his very last drive. As the sun dipped lower, Hanno and his group witnessed something that would leave a lasting impression: a rare, brutal display of predatory behaviour from an unlikely culprit.
The Chase Begins
As their vehicle made its way deeper into the conservancy, a sudden burst of movement caught everyone’s eye. Racing across the savannah at full speed was a lone baboon, and in its jaws, it held something tiny.
The group quickly realized it was a Thompson’s gazelle fawn, limp and very much lifeless! Cameras clicked in disbelief, but before the baboon could secure its prize, two jackals appeared out of nowhere, launching into a frenzied chase!
In a dramatic turn, the jackals managed to wrestle the fawn away from the baboon, claiming the meal for themselves! The baboon had put in all the hard work, but the opportunists stole the prize.
A Second, Shocking Strike
Not one to give up easily, the baboon wasted no time. Just moments after losing the first fawn, it spotted another unsuspecting baby gazelle nearby.
With laser focus and swift movement, it lunged forward, and successfully grabbed the young gazelle before it had time to react. Hanno recalled the shocking moment: “the baboon though was relentless, he just kept running and in passing, he grabbed another Thompson gazelle baby, not a minute after losing the first.”
Tragically, this time he held onto his prize and began feeding on the fawn alive, indifferent to the cries of the anguished mother nearby. The brutal scene soon drew hyenas to the area, lured by the commotion and the scent of blood.
After a few gruesome minutes, the baby gazelle finally ceased its suffering and the baboon then sprinted away into the bush, determined not to lose its kill for a second time.
More Than Just Foragers
While we often think of baboons as mischievous fruit stealers or insect hunters, they are, in fact, highly opportunistic omnivores. Their diet ranges from plants and seeds to birds and small mammals, making them far more formidable than their reputation suggests.
Get our Best Sightings as they Come in
Although rare, predatory behaviour like this is not unheard of, especially when food is scarce or young animals present an easy target. That day, Hanno learned that baboons are certainly not to be underestimated!
Nature’s Unfiltered Reality
This rare and disturbing encounter underscores the complex, and often cruel rules of the wild. Predators come in all shapes and sizes, and survival drives behaviour that can be hard to witness.
While scenes like this are difficult to watch, they offer raw insight into the unforgiving rhythm of nature, where every creature must fight to survive.