Lioness Teaches Tiny Cubs to Climb Tree

Despite lions not needing to know how to climb trees, this mother lioness taught her 4 very tiny cubs this skill.
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Michael Moth, a guide at MalaMala Game Reserve, was able to capture this cute sighting. Michael shared the footage and story with LatestSightings.com.
After discovering that one of the resident lionesses had given birth to a cute litter of cubs, everyone was excited to see them. The guides at MalaMala had given the mother and cubs some space in their first few days, just so that the mother was not under added stress. However, on this particular day, the mother lion decided that she was now ready to show her cubs.
As the group got into one of the dry riverbeds and scanned for a bit, the sound of a mother lion caught Michael's attention. They approached the calls and were greeted by the cutest little lion cubs playing with each other. At this point, their mother was already standing in a tree that was not very big.
She looked down on her cubs and let out these low-toned calls. Alerting her little ones that she was up above them. The cubs, with their small legs, frantically ran around the base of this tree, looking up at mom and letting out their own very cute contact calls. It sounded as though mom was trying to communicate with her cubs and tell them to come up.
The little ones, with their tiny legs and small size, thought that this was an impossible task. They found a much smaller branch of the tree that had fallen and thought that this was more their size. They climbed it with ease and looked over to Mom. But Mom did not want them to climb any small branches. She wanted to teach them the skill that not many lions have: climbing a tree.
Leopards are cats that are known for climbing trees, not lions. However, lions have been observed climbing trees on occasion. Sometimes to steal a kill of a leopard that was left in a low enough branch, and other times just for a bit of fun and games.
Mom kept calling her cubs, and one of them understood that mom meant bossiness. So off it went to the base of the tree its mother was in. The cub looked up, and to it, this was an enormous task, but it was determined. One paw at a time, it began climbing, digging its tiny claws into the bark to give it some traction. It inched slowly up until it was only a few inches from its mom.
You could see the great sense of achievement on the cub’s face when it took the last step. Its mother stood there, proud of herself. She first licked it and gave it a nod of approval, almost as if saying "Well done." Then she patted the cub's head and gave it a final lick. After seeing this, the cub's siblings also wanted to get some of Mom's love and affection.
The cub that managed to climb up now looked down and realized that it was really high up, and maybe it was best if it went back down. It began slowly making its way down, all while its siblings were trying to make their way up. However, none of its siblings were able to make it as high as it did. One of them reached halfway to Mom, while the other could barely make it past a few inches off the ground.
In the end, the mom came down proud of all her cubs. Each of them put in an excellent effort in learning this new skill. Some learnt it better than others but in the end everyone of these cubs learnt a valuable lesson that may one day help them in their lives of survival.
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[@user-nm1yo7sr9w]

The lioness pushing back the cub is one of the most adorable moments ❤

[@albertyu425]

but don't forget 0:16 when the cub falls off the branch!

[@thehawkanimals]

The lioness is a great teacher. The way she pushes her cub is like a gentle lesson.

[@HooDie-Trench-GoTh2022]

Climbing is one thing, getting down, unscathed is another. Lol

[@TransKidsMafia]

The lioness was assigned male at birth. The Cubs were assigned trans at birth.

[@floridacracker_]

​@TransKidsMafia huh? Nobody cares about ur trans weirdness here

[@toppinotowidjoyo6513]

Istimewa...❤

[@renegadeace1735]

Those noises they make are so cute.

[@mimis105dobbins3]

I was thinking the same thing,I could watch them all day

[@1and2so]

Very interesting how the lionesses makes the cub understand its time to climb down with gently touches so the cub doesnt lose the equilibrium

[@septemberpalmer9396]

So beautiful. Mama encourages her babies. Calls to them . Talks to them and calms their fears . So lovely to watch their conversations. When baby makes it up to mama, the way she gently paws her baby just makes me grin from ear to ear! We are so privileged to witness bits of these beautiful creatures lives. Thank you so much for sharing. I can’t stop watching this!

[@nivieb9]

Awww… this is so heartwarming. The tenderness with which a fierce animal guides her cubs, encouraging them while staying alert, shows that mothers are the same across species. The cubs are adorable and mama lioness’s patience, love and care are so beautiful ❤️

[@ApexAnimalWorld]

I like the way the lioness gently caresses the cub's cheek

[@dido1803]

Awesome video of mother and babies interacting together.

[@Majestic502]

The way the mother lion patiently waits and cheers for her cubs is amazing

[@summer031977]

The lioness doesn't seem too impressed to have humans so close to her cubs.

[@Sherry-pe5wt]

Surprised she didn't jump down and rush him.

[@TulinLester]

😢 humans are everywhere disturbing, bothering them. 😑Look at the eyes of the lioness 😢

[@anti-ethniccleansing465]

@@TulinLester I know, right? Mama’s eyes just look so sad, glaring at the humans as if to say “Why? Why are you here, spying on my family? Why can we not have privacy and I enjoy this moment in peace with my babies? Why do I need to divide my attention away from them upon you, because you won’t leave us alone?” 😢

[@DinnerForkTongue]

​@@Sherry-pe5wt She didn't rush him because he's in a vehicle. Lions don't see cars as us inside a metal shell, they take the entire package as one singular being.

[@DinnerForkTongue]

​@@TulinLester They're disturbing nothing. These animals are desensitized to cars with people that keep their reasonable distance.

[@d2cuadrados510]

oh my god they're so frickin adorable

[@BoldlyExplore]

Tough love is the best love a parent can give to teach through love.

[@qbconnect2883]

I disagree. It's important to show a balance of both gentle love and tough love with humans as well as animals. That's what this mother lioness did in a way that even some human parents don't

[@BoldlyExplore]

@@qbconnect2883 it's free world to have differing opinions

[@DinnerForkTongue]

This day, she was more teacher than mother. And this day, the cubs that climbed, grew up a little from learning with her.

[@smoothsailor5101]

Beautiful and interesting.

[@stagna1959]

Even if you are a lion cub , perhaps some day you need to climb the tree - for instance if you are surrounded by pack of hyenas or angry herd of buffalos . To be on tree 3 metres above the ground is pretty safe place then

[@denyoellamcy8251]

What about leopards? Lol

[@ncbabe21]

So glad I'm a Leo... Cuteness mom with her cubs ❤️🦁🦁🦁

[@TuneinR]

While paying attention as they learned to climb,she was also paying great attention to predators of her ilk.😂

[@havefaith4358]

So precious! ❤ Makes one think of The Lion King. 😊

[@Shisui510]

They are saying so much! How wholesome ☺️

[@user-mn4wh4kn7d]

That's beautiful all Mommy's have to teach there babies how life works

[@imgoing2stayonyourmind654]

Amazing nurturing. Humans should take notice

[@eaglesfight]

I remember the day when my mother taught me every step of the way.

[@anthonygareau5604]

Was it a tuesday

[@makhabanemasama3825]

Wow, mother's love ❤

[@atpearth]

Oh so cute, maybe a mother lion is teaching her cub to climb a tree to defend herself😅

[@khalajanskitchen7456]

The cubs are so adorable 🥰

[@gerrymayo3442]

Mom is a great teacher! 😮😊❤

[@bgddogdflgd3013]

Beautiful Mamma showing love to her fur baby for successfully making it up the tree🥰🦁

[@kathleenjones1399]

How sweet is this? Incredible footage of mom teaching a life lesson

[@louielouiepks]

Can be a survival skill

[@JohnnyLandscape]

Oh my heart melts for them.

[@saraswatkin9226]

Amazing how she picked a tree with small branch on the ground leading to main tree with leader pub ignored and she made risk assessment to only let them climb a certain height then leader club was praised for its climbing effort before he was to climb down meanwhile being calm, patient and keeping one eye. on the videographer.

[@karenwright3786]

The cubs sounds are so cute!

[@4exgold]

The first cub got up & down without much difficulty. The other 2 obviously not as sharp on the uptake 😂

[@kepnjem]

The tourists doing the video certainly got their money's worth! ❤

[@ferozfersheikh5957]

extremely cute, adorable cubs 😍 ❤️

[@user-lk6ld4er9t]

Que mamãe amorosa... Simplesmente Fantástico ❤

[@tesfayelemma9734]

How do they manage to survive for millions of years, while being so adorable?!

[@theresaholguin699]

Adorable and beautiful Cubs. Mom is really skinny. 😢😢

[@AdventureswithLandon]

The sounds the cubs make are so cute.

[@adiczaira8786]

Lindossssssssssssss, fofos...Deus os proteja da crueldade, covardia de "certos" seres humanos....

[@uchennanwachukwu-gabriel3025]

Nice and interesting view with the Lioness alert! for any animal to attend to attack the tiny cubs

[@mirjanan.1963]

😂😂 I like the little lion shaking off the one behind as if saying: "Don't chew on my tail bro, I have mommy waiting up there for me!"...

[@mrmonkeynews587]

What a treat it is to see that.

[@the_sense]

Lions are one of the best parenting species

[@zacharybriddell98]

It’s so adorable 🥰 when the mother 👩 Lion 🦁 is trying to teach her three cubs. How to climb 🧗 this tree.

[@modestenare9518]

You can almost already see the future leader of the coalition of the cubs. The first one to volunteer the climbing.

[@PimchanokM98]

Cubs are sooo adorable 😍😍

[@MeiHavenga]

Nature is so awesome!! I have seen this a few years ago near Crocodile Bridge, it was so cute and adorable! 🦁🦁

[@nims83]

So emotional when lioness gets closer to the one which was able to climb to the point where she was. Amazing 😍

[@carolineyuen3247]

Anyone remember in the movie The Benchwarmers when David Spade climbs the fence then screams "TOO HIGH CALL 911 😭"

[@missbell8426]

Just wonderful

[@BetterMe981]

I like how at about at Mark 215 mama looks over to cameraman like, “Now don’t you go and put this on KZbin.”

[@aprilcanhi8621]

That's so amazing, I think she maybe teaching them to climb the tree incase their in danger !

[@HAI-iz1zm]

سبحان الله الخالق المبدع

[@universal6527]

Alright kids….. Enough playing around….. Life is real out here.

[@cctomp11]

😊 Momma is multitasking and it may seem to have a favorite cub or maybe her most enthusiastic cub. As two others were nipping at each other's tails. 😮 But lioness tries to give the others a chance, all while making sure they're safe and keeping her eyes and ears out for other dangers. 😅 Thanks for sharing - very interesting.✔️

[@sabinekoch3448]

Hakuna Matata ❤

[@user-tw4no3db8v]

Good mama ❤

[@christinalucas246]

Adorable video❤❤❤

[@howlieMCFC]

Amazing footage

[@nenala7684]

Experiencd mother..teaching them how to evade hyenas!

[@kendone2454]

What a priceless moment to witness 🙏🏻

[@eliletts8149]

I have to say, the vegetation in this clip looks a lot like the vegetation in the ranch that I used to own!

[@craigm2484]

Absolutely Wonderful ! I must say it Puurfect ! 🤓 I know !

[@fvader6666]

Dont tell me to come down mom I just got up!!

[@sanogoyuga]

Who said lions can't climb ?😂

[@icelynx7683]

Just about all cats can climb

[@sanogoyuga]

@@icelynx7683 fr, some are just more skilled than the others like léopard but beside they can all climb pretty well.

[@timgrover9313]

In Uganda there's an area where they climb high and spend most of their days in the trees.

[@sanogoyuga]

@@timgrover9313 Exactly, there's even an entire documentary about this lions but...they got poisened by some idiots sadly.

[@cbyhahn1]

A breathtaking video!!!!!!

[@F0RRET]

a happy family

[@BlessedYouTuber]

One cub learnt by just observing its siblings.

[@meaneymouse1371]

📢: ok Ralphie, cue the bloodthirsty HYENNIE's😅😅😅

[@albadiaz6180]

Ahhhh,the Lion King

[@aprilcanhi8621]

Praise God !

[@lukesaunders3074]

I now understand that it’s simply in my kids nature to constantly be fussin at their mom

[@Muerice]

They're cute now 😂

[@icelynx7683]

Baby animals are cute

[@zacharybriddell98]

1:35 = Lion 🦁 Cub= Look 👀 Mom 👩, I did it I just climbed a tree 🌲 ! Lioness= Well done young one ☝️!

[@gomerhanger2285]

How come the hyenas don’t try to eat the little ones?

[@deborahl722]

Yeah she was looking at you letting you know not to come any closer 😅.

[@ShashikaFernando-jb2yd]

❤verydangersloinesclimthatree

[@bs49ers]

How cute lol

[@tenorhowlermonkey3454]

Why do I trust more the Lion's eyes more than my brothers? (you).

[@whp8656]

Helo. Where was it? With part of KP? We are going to KP on 7 May

[@EranRicos]

To call this tree climbing, and then watch a 500 pound bear climb a tree. Amazing the difference. Must be the ability to use the full paw and more wrist bone plus thicker claws.

[@wanimalworld]

When will it learn how to hunt?

[@ErikKart]

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@zacharybriddell98]

First day of Lion 🦁 School 🏫.

[@jacobtsmith1995]

Was it trying to feed?

[@DarkN1ght2440s]

Bruh the sounds they do are so cute if I were there I would have walked over mother or not (and get killed in the process)

[@MauroMeneguzzi]

❤❤❤❤❤😊

[@user-999.]

Amazing

[@lindacreed2445]

So Wonderful to see this!❤😊

[@jadwigagondek7360]

❤❤❤❤😻❤️😻🙏🏻

[@CorneiliusLibowitz]

Nice capture, but sad they recorded it in vertical...sheesh...WHEN will they learn?!?!?!?

[@zaesen]

Very scary guys..

[@daradosalh9527]

The video is proof to humans of the existence of God, the Creator of everything

[@Eswarprasadsurya]

Jangal ka sipahi

[@ladonnabitters4597]

4 cubs!! That's amazing. I'm wondering how wild these animals are or how crazy the ppl making the video are, cuz this seems dangerous. Amazing video.

[@kejriwalaman2010]

Kindly wear condon while climbing

[@joanjust8241]

My lawd almighty, 4 cubbies to keep corralled and teach to stay safe and hunt.

[@rick6672]

That's dangerous, the kids could get hurt. That's not a good mom

[@internetexplorer6097]

And then they were all eaten

[@kanjo4976]

By what? Their on top of the chain

[@AuroraBoost]

@@kanjo4976 by leopards

[@EarthIsFlat456]

​@@kanjo4976 by crocodiles.

[@internetexplorer6097]

@@kanjo4976 human noids

[@madhavgarg7460]

@@kanjo4976 By lions or lionesses of other pride