It's not often in the wild that an antelope turns from prey to a
member of the pride, but that's exactly what happened recently at
Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda.
Photographer Adri De Visser captured photos of the amazing sight
when a lioness befriended a baby antelope after
killing its mother. In the photo series, the lioness seemingly
adopts the baby antelope, nuzzling it and picking it up by the
scruff of its neck.
De Visser got word of two lions feeding on a kill and went to
take photos of the scene when he discovered the heartwarming
moment. After feeding on the carcass of the Uganda Kob, the lioness
retreated to the shade of a nearby tree to rest. Moments later, the
antelope's offspring popped out from its hiding spot in the tall
grass.
The two animals took some time to warm up to each other -- De
Visser estimates about 45 minutes -- but the lioness eventually let
down her guard and befriended the calf. When a park ranger appeared
on a motorbike the lioness picked up the impala like she would her
own and carried it away. Other tourists to the park reported
seeing the baby antelope unharmed later, after the photos were
taken.
