They say love is universal - and if these pictures of a lion caring for an abandoned antelope are anything to go by, they might well be right.
The extraordinary moment unfolded at Kruger National Park, in South Africa, and was captured by 45-year-old Graeme Mitchley, a deputy head teacher who was on a trip there with his wife.
Mr Mitchley photographed the deadly predator licking the calf clean and carrying it around like one of her own cubs in touching scenes.
But the lion eventually carried the calf away and out of sight, so nobody knows if the creature became dinner.
Mr Mitchley said: 'At first, it looked like a lioness carrying her cub. However, at second glance, it turned out to be a lion carrying a newborn antelope.
'The young lion carried the antelope down into the dry riverbed where we lost visual, but could still hear the antelope bleating.
'I am not sure what happened to its mum but she may have been grazing and wandered a bit too far off from her youngster.'
Mr Mitchley said: 'On this particular day there wasn't an animal in sight, never mind any lions.
'I commented to my wife that I would love to know where they had all got to. 'A few minutes later, out of nowhere a lion came walking out of the dry bush with something in its mouth.
'The young lion carried the antelope down into the dry riverbed where we lost visual, but could still hear the antelope bleating.
'The lion went into the riverbed also because there were white-backed vultures, hooded vultures and marabou storks in the vicinity hoping to take off with the buck.
'I think this was pure opportunism on the part of the lion as it must have stumbled upon the newborn whilst walking through the bush.
'I am not sure what happened to its mum but she may have been grazing and wandered a bit too far off from her youngster. 'We visit the Kruger often but this was a rare sighting for both of us.
'That's why the Kruger National Park is the best place on Earth, you never know what lies in wait around the following bend.'
(Mail Online)
