Footage has emerged of a grieving giraffe cow protecting its lifeless calf from eight hyenas.
The heart-wrenching sighting was captured by Susan Harwood on her recent safari at Olifants River Game Reserve in the Limpopo province.
On her Facebook post, she explained that the occurrence lasted more than three hours. The giraffe finally relented due to fatigue and dehydration resulting in the hyenas getting the carcass.
Although this is a rare occurrence, In 2012, zoologists in Zambia watched a mother giraffe spend two hours licking and nudging her dead newborn.
There has been an ongoing debate on whether giraffes mourn their dead and scientists believe these sightings may serve to prove that they do.
The cause of the calf’s death is still unknown.
Content warning: The following videos contain material that may be harmful or traumatising to some viewers.
Picture: Susan Harwood
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