Nothing is more heartbreaking for a mother than losing all of her babies at the same time, but unfortunately, this is common in hostile animal habitats. Even though they have no choice but to learn to live with the pain, many of them struggle to overcome it. And in the case of this young lioness who lives in Namibia’s Etosha National Park, she has decided to fill the void in her life by caring for a truly remarkable baby of a different species.

Not long after a male lion murdered all of her newborn cubs, the heartbroken lioness adopted and raised a springbok as her own. Photographer Gordon Donovan was one of the few guests who got to witness their tender interaction.

What happened next took the man, who was 53 years old at the time, completely by surprise. At first, he thought the young springbok was nothing more than her prey, which was exactly what he was. She not only played with him, kissed him, and groomed him, but she also protected him from the other hungry lions in the area.

Donovan described it as “a odd but amazing sight to witness,” and he couldn’t believe what he saw. “I was thrilled about the lions, and I was anticipating the kill when she caught the springbok. But it never showed up and she began to clean the calf. It’s impossible to predict what the natural world has in store for us, and that’s part of the pleasure.”

It is reasonable to assume that Donovan’s incredible journey from New York to this lovely country did not disappoint him. Many wildlife photographers devote their entire lives to capturing such breathtaking images, but not all of them are able to see exactly what they are looking for.

“These are the moments I seek when I travel to Africa,” Donovan added.

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