Unusual in some ways in that the baboon was alone. Normally, they are part of a troop. A group of adult male baboons will face down a leopard or a solitary lion every time. Quite impressive canines, they haz...
Perhaps he had a parasite whose next life history stage requires being in the body of a large cat...
Baboons are vicious and dangerous and lions know that. A lion's not going to risk death or injury for its dinner. As Jim said, it's unusual for the baboon to be alone, but perhaps they respond that way anyway because they're expecting that the rest of the troop will arrive any minute. The baboon could also have been trying to keep the lions away from nearby young.
The loner may have been driven out of his troop after a fight with the alpha or a senior baboon. Solos don't last long, lions consider baboons competition for food. A troop can run a pride off a kill if they have the numbers.
Ein Ubootsoldat wrote:“Ich melde mich ab. Grüssen Sie bitte meine Kameraden.”
My best bet is still rabies.
The first lion really didn't fancy tangling with it, maybe they have a sixth sense about rabies.
And even though they killed it, they didn't seem anxious to eat it.
There were several trees around that the baboon could easily have escaped to. It did seem to have a screw loose of some sort. If it was rabies, the lions probably did it a favour.
While there is a market for shit, there will be assholes to supply it.