As any parent will tell you, few kids love bath time. As this article shows us, the same is true for baby wild animals.
Brett Devitt submitted this footage to Latest Sightings. He filmed the encounter while visiting South Africa’s Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve.
Escape bid
As Brett’s video begins, we see a tiny lion cub attempting to escape its mother. According to Brett, the lioness had been grooming the cub moments before.
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The grooming of cubs is crucial to their well-being. Not only does it keep them clean and free of parasites, but it also strengthens bonds between the mother and her offspring.
Unsurprisingly, the little one doesn’t get far before Mum reaches out to cut short its escape bid. However, the way she does so might come as a surprise to some.
Opening her jaws, she gently closes them over her errant offspring. She is careful to ensure that her long canines don’t push against its fragile body.
Scruffing reflex
As the cub is lifted, we note that its body goes completely limp. This is an automatic reflex, evolved to ensure that the cub doesn’t get injured by wriggling against mum’s teeth.
At just a few weeks old, the cub is small enough for the mother to hold its entire body in her mouth. When it gets bigger, she will hold it by the head.
Hidden den
Although lions are social animals, when females are ready to give birth, they leave the pride to find a secluded den. Since cubs are helpless at birth, they remain hidden for the first 4 to 8 weeks of their lives.
Then, once they are strong enough to walk some distance, Mum takes them to meet the rest of their pride. For now, though, she barely leaves her cub, except when she needs to drink.
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Indecisive
Although the lioness will defend the cub with her life, she takes precautions to minimize the risk of discovery. For instance, to prevent an accumulation of scent, she will periodically move to a new den site.
And that is what she appears to be doing when she gathers her cub in her mouth and stands. Subsequently, she walks a short distance to another thicket.
However, after a brief inspection, she decides it isn’t suitable. Accordingly, she does an about turn and re-emerges.
Then, she seems to be lost in thought for a while, as if rethinking her plan. All the while, the cub hangs limp in her jaws.
Ultimately, she decides that her previous hiding place wasn’t that bad after all. Consequently, as the video comes to an end, we see her disappear into the original thicket.
