When the lion family noticed the injured fox, they started staring at it and eagerly licking their lips. The fox had nowhere to run, and the chances it could survive were very low.
Suddenly, one of the lions stood up and rushed to the fox. Poor animal cringe in fear. What happened next made the whole world gasp...
A Typical Day In Botswana
In the Kalahari Desert in Botswana, there are many species that live together. It can be an adventure every day to see who survives. Sometimes the survival of the fittest is not who you expect.
Wildlife photographers love going to the desert and getting pictures of the various assorted animals that live there. Tracking one species, in particular, will always guarantee interesting life lessons.
A Pride Of Lions
A family of lions is referred to as a pride, and one wildlife photographer was about to witness a family dynamic most would never see. The photographer had walked into a clearing and could see an interesting scene unrolling in front of him.
Graham Dyer really liked to shoot the wildlife in the Kalahari Desert, but he also had to stay vigilant with his safety. When Graham entered the animal kingdom, he knew things could change quickly with life-threatening results.
Amazed At The Sight
Graham always walked carefully in this environment. He never knew what he could walk into. As he stepped into a clearing, he realized he had come at a pivotal point. The lion family was all circling a small object.
It was truly a moment that Graham loved to capture. It was the true essence of a pride of lions and Graham was eager for his photographs. He would capture more than he bargained for on this day.
Each Day Is A New Experience
In Graham’s career, he had seen a lot of unforgettable images. Some of them were burned in his mind for days to come and some vanished moments after he got the perfect shot. Graham steadied his hands and got to work.
As his hands brought the camera into focus and to his eyes, his heart sunk when he realized what he would witness. It became clear that Graham would witness a natural lion instinct, but it was not one he enjoyed documenting.
Trapped In The Middle
Graham realized the tiny creature was a fox. As this information sank in, he already knew it would be an unlucky animal. Desert foxes are a stealthy and small breed which made them difficult to capture, Apparently for one fox, this was an unlucky day.
As Graham focused his lenses he noticed a couple of interesting details. Suddenly a male lion entered the scene and Graham knew things were about to get very disturbing.
The Queen Of The Desert
Lionesses are not an animal you want to mess with. They do a lot of the hunting for their pride on top of keeping the cubs safe. When Graham first got to the scene, it was just a lioness with her cubs and the injured fox.
As a male lion appeared, Graham was curious over who would win this argument. The lion looked famished and only had one thing on his mind, but this wasn’t a snack he was invited to share.
Zooming In For The Perfect Shot
He wanted to capture whatever happened next, but as his camera zoomed in, he couldn’t believe what his eyes were seeing. It was different than any outcome Graham would have predicted.
There was no way to guarantee what wild animals would do. This was their land and their natural habitat. Graham was a guest and spectator. Would they let him sit peacefully and watch?
He Slowly Walked Towards The Fox
The lion was eagerly walking towards the fox. Each paw was a measured step and he had his eyes focused on the tiny injured animal. While he was walking, he seemed to forget that the lioness was already on the scene.
Graham also noticed that there were lion cubs around too. This was a full family of lions! If the fox couldn’t run, this would be the last thing it would remember.
The Cubs Appeared Excited
The tiny baby lions were also getting excited over the chance for this meal. They were stepping close to the injured fox and mimicking the older lion's steps. Everyone became surprised by what the lioness did next.
A mother’s instincts kicked in but not for her own children. Graham kept the camera rolling to see what exactly the lioness would do next.
She Was Protecting Her Young
As the lion got closer it became clear that the lioness had different plans. She moved to stand up to the lion and Graham couldn’t help but notice his surprise. Was she letting the children attack first?
It was about to get even more interesting. The lioness decided to raise a mighty paw and let the lion know exactly who was getting what today.
Not Today Sir!
The lioness swiped her paw at the male lion and made him stop in his tracks. This gesture was not uncommon, but Graham couldn’t figure out what the lioness wanted to do. The tiny fox was still screaming and laying in the path.
It seemed no one really knew what to expect. The lioness started to herd her cubs away from the injured fox as well. Graham realized she might have sinister motivations after all.
A Meal For A Queen
After the lioness got rid of the competition she brought the injured fox close to her. It was tucked next to the lioness and it seemed to be safe. Graham was shocked. Has this lioness decided to protect this fox?
It was not uncommon for a lioness to keep her cubs close and she got very protective. It made her a dangerous predator and a ferocious mother. Was this fox starting a new life?
The Lion Would Not Give Up
At first, the male lion walked away, but he quickly came back. He was still hungry and the lioness's actions were confusing him. This tiny fox was up for grabs, why was she blocking him!
Graham was also confused but didn’t know if he could continue to watch what happened next. The photographer decided to change locations and check back after an hour. When he arrived, he saw something he will never forget.
What Was Going On?
When Graham returned he saw that the lion and the cubs were distracted by a meal that had been brought to them from other lions. There were way more lions in the space than when he was first shooting an hour ago.
There was also one other animal there. Graham couldn’t believe what he saw as he zoomed in closer to get a better shot.
The Tiny Fox Was OK!
Graham couldn’t believe the tiny fox was still tucked next to the lioness. She hadn’t joined the group and was staying nearby waiting for the fox to stop crying. When Graham had first been at this location, the fox was making screams for help, but now he was singing a different tune.
In fact, the fox seemed overall very calm. It was truly remarkable. Graham wondered what the next thing to happen was when he realized, maybe the fox had been fooling everyone this entire time.
The Fox Who Cried For Attention
Graham assumed based on the fox's cries that he was seriously injured. Graham didn’t think the fox would be able to walk or run for safety, but the fox did one brave thing.
The tiny baby fox was surrounded by predators. It was very literally in the lion's den and an easy dessert for any of them to snatch up. The fox had been lucky so far, but would this luck run out?
Shaking First Steps
The tiny baby fox had been given a chance to catch its breath and rest before carrying on. In a weird moment, the lioness had treated it like one of her own cubs and saved its life. It was time to see how the fox would repay the lion or had it always been on borrowed time?
The fox took shaky steps away from the lioness and Graham felt his jaw drop when no one ran after him. The fox was feeling pretty lucky and special, but in the dark corners, a worse enemy had been waiting.
Another Enemy Approaches
After surviving a pride of lions, the tiny fox must have felt 10 feet tall. Leave it two jackals to remind him that he is still a tiny baby in a big world of predators.
Graham couldn’t develop the film but witnessed the jackals sneakily approach the tiny fox as it was leaving the safety of the lions. Would the little fox continue its lucky streak?
An Incredible Day
It turned out, the fox had a guardian angel. It got away from the jackals after spending the day with a pride of lions. It was still one of the most incredible moments for Graham to witness.
We truly never know what really happens in the animal kingdom. With unsaid rules, allegiances, and power dynamics around every corner. It was an experience Graham would never forget.