Lions are very active at night. We usually catch them early in the mornings, winding down from their nightly activities, drinking water, and then......sleeping! Lots of visitors gets only this! Sleeping lions, occasionaly roling over, lifting their heads, roling over, and lying around the whole day!
But then you get lucky and find them while still a bit active early mornings!
The camera then works overtime in an effort to snap a unique picture of a lion doing something more than sleeping or strolling!
These majestic animals do not know anything about fear! I think that is why we humans can't get enough of them. They just own the space they are living in! Every animal, - and human - respect them as they control the atmosphere for kilometres around them!
Highly attentive to make sure he knows who or what we are on arriving at the scene
A Close-up of what we assume the dominant male and his brother, cleaning each other and showing some affection early in the morning.
What a moment! Standing 10 meters from us, roaring his heart out! And his brother, walking the other way behind our vehicle, and about 20 meters from us, also roaring, answering each other! Shall we call it "Stereo Roaring!" What an experience!
A last look in the direction in which his tribe mate disappeared - although they do not see each other any more, we can be assured that they know exactly about each other's whereabouts. Just one roar and they can start communicate over a distance of kilometres!
While walking off to get some sleep, still telling the world and whoever wants to listen that the king of this area is now officially here!
This same male was sleeping the whole day since 7:00, and then came down for a drink at around 17:00. He returned to his sleeping place, went on sleeping. Being full in the belly, he would be interested in hunting again in about three day's time!
The early morning scene of another tribe...on another morning in the Kgalagadi..
Having heard them roar early in the morning, driving to go and have a look - an antelope on a hill gave us a clue of where to look - and there a whole pride of two males and two lionesses was coming out of the night into the early morning, satisfied with themselves after a successful hunt somewhere the night before.
After drinking and reuniting with one lioness and two cubs, the pride rested for the rest of the day on a sand dune not far from the water hole.
We were satisfied that we saw our lions!
Now, where would the cheetas be?
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