Rock climbing may not be his forte but he's learnt that persistence pays.
The cobra, one of the deadliest threats a lion cub could ever face.
Fortunately, the cubs curiosity is tempered by an innate caution
Faced by a threat the pride join forces.
Their first concern is to corral the cubs.
Their enemy carries a concealed weapon.
It spits venom.
The poison jets from hypodermic fangs.
The lions are lucky, one drop in the eye would blind them for life.
With the spitting cobra at large the cubs are at risk.
Holding them by the scruff of the neck
stops them struggling as they're carried to safety.
Danger is never far away.
Elephants actively seek out the only predator that kills their calves.
Revenge is sweet and cubs are an easy target.
The lioness is powerless to reach her cubs so now they're on their own.
Their first instinct is to hide.
But even an adult lion needs to know when to run.
Their mother attempts a rescue
but again the elephants drive a wedge between her and her cubs.
Faced by overwhelming force her only choice is retreat.
If she was wounded her cubs would die.
It's best she hides and finds them later.
Her young may have escaped but without their mother the clock is ticking
because of the many dangers
more than half of all cubs die in their first year.