Lost Orphan

We were told that this male...

and this female had been spotted lying on the grass, by a thicket at the bottom of the hill...

Lost Orphan

Hidden in the thicket, the cub was lost and crying. It looked to be 7 or 8 days old, as it's eyes were still blue and therefore, still too young to see. It missed it's mother and probably hadn't nursed for 12 or more hours.

Quietly, the female lion got up and walked over to the cub.

Lost Orphan

There were no hormones to bind them. This female was not lactating. The cub would starve.

Lost Orphan

The cub would not survive the night.