My Day With A Lion Pride

There are few things more magnificent than a lioness sprawled on a fallen Acacia tree, sunning herself without a care, or a baby lion napping in broad daylight, playing with his big brother, or the slinking stealth of the pride hunting.  I saw it all on “My Day With A Lion Pride.”  Although I saw lions on other days during my photo safari, this day was incredible, just like being in a National Geographic show! 

We left camp at 6:00 a.m. that morning, on our way to try to catch hippos returning to the water after a night of grazing on the plain.  We didn’t find hippos, but we did find a pride of lions setting up shop on two fallen acacia trees on either side of the dirt track that went by a smaller waterhole.  On the other side of the water hole was a herd of about 300 zebra.

What is amazing about all of these animals is that they are so accustomed to safari jeeps that they don’t pay any attention to us, unless we get really loud, which we didn’t, of course.  We parked by the tree closest to the road, upon which, amazingly, the cubs were gathering with their mothers.  While the mother’s scoped the zebras, the cubs settled in for the day.  The eldest cub, a 9-month-old male, was the “babysitter.”  He watched over the younger cubs, sleeping only after they fell asleep.  We were only about 30 feet from the tree.  In the meantime, the matriarch of the pride and the second eldest sister took up residence on the fallen acacia tree on the other side of the track.  This tree was about 200 feet from us.

Once everyone was settled, the three younger sisters left the acacia trees and started the hunt, leaving us with the cubs!  They hunted for most of the day, tracking slowly, moving closer and closer to the waterhole, sitting in between moves.  It wasn’t until the afternoon that the lionesses actually attacked.  In the meantime, we photographed the cubs to our heart’s content, took a drive to observe other animals, and came back to find everyone where we left them.  By then, other jeeps had arrived and we watched the lionesses slinking in between and around the jeeps, using them as cover, to make the final attack at the waterhole.  What a day!  Below are some of my favorite shots from My Day With A Lion Pride.

The day proved tricky for photography.  The mist turned into a hazy overcast in the morning, bright sun around noon, and haze again in the afternoon.  The setting was interesting, too.  One direction was the plains, the opposite direction led to the hills, another direction was the lush waterhole area, and another direction was more dry. So, if they look like different days and settings, they’re not.

Enjoy this sights below, many of which are also available for sale on my online store.  If you are near Clinton, NJ, in the month of January 2012-March 2012, framed versions are on view and are available for sale at Wholesome’s Bagel House, Clinton,  NJ.  Enjoy this magnificent animals!  The following photo prints are available for purchase from my online store at: http://www.shutterfly.com/pro/annefreemanimages/AnneFreemanImagesPhotoStore

Below:  Shortly after daybreak, two of the lionesses in the pride perch on a fallen Acacia tree to get the lay of the land.  You can see the mist hanging over the Serengeti behind them.  Lions have incredibly strong shoulder, chests and forearms for grasping and bringing down large prey.  You can see the power in the chest area of the lioness to the right.

 

“Misty Morning With Lions”: 

 

"Misty Morning with Lions" - Copyright Anne M. Freeman

 Below: The lioness looks like a statue to me; her beautiful form, the curve of her back, and the curl at the tip of her tail.  Her coat is a beautiful color in the low, misty morning light.  She is observing the activity at the waterhole nearby.  

“Sentry:”

"Sentry" - Copyright Anne M. Freeman

 

Below: Isn’t she perfect?  This lioness is nursing the baby cubs, and is at the height of her beauty and power.  We were in the “endless plains” region of the Serengeti. Notice that there are no trees all the way to the horizon.  The reason that there are the fallen Acacia trees here is because we were very close to a river and a waterhole.

“Nursing Lioness”:

"Nursing Lioness" - Copyright Anne M. Freeman

  

Below: I love this shot!  One sister, up on the left, lazily stretches awake.  The nursing mother alertly watches the waterhole.  The eldest cub (about 9 months), watches the zebras with her.  A baby cub (about 3-4 months) looks down at its sibling of the same age in the grass (unseen).  I was amazed at all of the activity taking place, but nary a “word” spoken between them.  For instance, how did the eldest cub know it was his job to babysit the babies once the lioness left them behind to hunt?  What kept the babies from following their mother? 

“Lion Family Portrait”:

"Lion Family Portrait" - Copyright Anne M. Freeman

 

 Below:  Aren’t these two gorgeous?  The cub is learning by mimicking his mother.  You can feel the connection betweenthem.  How beautiful they are.  

“Mother & Son”:

"Mother & Son" - Copyright Anne M. Freeman

 

Below: I SO wanted to bring this little guy home with me!  How cute it this?!  I love how big its ears are, and how tiny its tail is.  This 3-4-month-old cub is not long out of the lair.  Cubs don’t leave until they are at least 3 months old.  But already, this little guy is about the size of a medium size dog, and its claws to do some serious damage.  

“Baby”: 

"Baby" - Copyright Anne M. Freeman

  

Below: When the lioness looked our way, I was suddenly worried that she would move our family.  But no, she was looking across the track to the other acacia tree where the matriarch and sister were settling in for the day.  They did not hunting, leaving the work to the three youngest sisters.  You can see that her ears were tagged by a fight of some sort.  Other than ear tags, these lions were remarkably intact. 

“Lioness on the Acacia”:

 

"Lioness on the Acacia" - Copyright Anne M. Freeman

  

Below: At the base of the acacia log, one of the two babies forgoes the onerous job of climbing up the fallen tree to settle into the long grass growing around the tree.  Pretty purple flowers were blooming.  We were there in June, the shoulder season between the wet season (winter) and the dry season (summer), so there was still quite a lot of green and blooms.  I like how the grasses create a “shield” around the tiny lion. 

“Purple Flowers & Lion Cub”:

 

"Purple Flowers & Lion Cub" - Copyright Anne M. Freeman

  

Below: This is the big cahoonah, the chief of the pride.  She is at least 12 years old at the time I took this photo in June 2010.  She is probably no longer alive, as 12 is the upper age limit of lions in the wild.  How do I know her age?  Because it turns out that one of my former work colleagues put that radio collar on her ten years ago, and she was about two years old at the time.   I call her “Lisa’s Girl,” because my colleague screamed “That’s one of my girls!” when she saw the photo.  Turns out that Lisa worked in the Serengeti after she graduated college.  The project was inoculating lions against distemper.  Their population was shrinking because of canine distemper that was probably brought into the Serengeti by wild dogs.  Whenever they came across a young female who was in good health, she was collared so that they could track them and determine if they established prides.  What an exciting moment that was for both  Lisa and me.  Speaking of strength, look at the rippling muscles of the matriarch’s shoulders and upper arms! 

“Matriarch Resting”: 

 

"Matriarch Resting" - Copyright Anne M. Freeman

 

Below: This photo just makes me chuckle.  One of  the sisters was starting off across the plains to stalk the zebras.  It paused to look for her sibling to her left.  I didn’t notice the tiny bird sitting on top of the stump until I viewed the photo!  Now, I wonder, was she looking for her sister or was she looking at this tiny, apparently fearless bird? 

“Town Gossips”:

 

"Town Gossips" - Copyright Anne M. Freeman

 

Below: With his mother and aunts gone hunting, the babysitter is now responsible for the cubs.  And, he was a patient, kindly big brother (or cousin).  Here, the baby cub attacks his paw, which he lifted and held out to the tiny cub so it could get a better grip, all the while watching the lionesses stalking.  

“GRRR!!”:

 

"GRRR!!" - Copyright Anne M. Freeman

 

Below: A touching scene of sibling love.  The baby is “greeting” its big brother by nuzzling.  All lions nuzzle the eldest lion when the approach.  I just love this photo. 

“Baby Love”:  

 

"Baby Love" - Copyright Anne M. Freeman

 

Below: The babysitter takes a break from watching the hunt to rest. In this shot, you can really see how large its paws are!  He’s going to grow into a big lion with those paws.  Male lions stay in the pride until they are about two, when they begin growing their mane. 

“Big Paws”:

 

"Big Paws" - Copyright Anne M. Freeman

 

Below:The sky had finally cleared in the afternoon when we returned to the cubs.  I took a series of close-up portraits of my favorite – the babysitter – against the blue sky. 

 

“Silloette of a Lion Cub #1”:

 

 

"Silloette of a Lion Cub #1" - Copyright Anne M. Freeman

 

Below: No matter from what side, lions are just so beautiful.  Look at his long, dark lashes. 

“Silloette of a Lion Cub #2:

 

"Silloette of a Lion Cub #2" - Copyright Anne M. Freeman

 

 Below:  We were slightly behind the back of the acacia tree for this shot.  I like the sinuous shape of this cub and how the horizon perfectly intersects his form. 

“Silloette of a Lion Cub #3”:  

 

"Silloette of a Lion Cub #3" - Copyright Anne M. Freeman

 

Below: Unless they are hunting, lions sleep around 14-20 hours a day, no surprise to you cat owners.  The purple-speckled grasses provide a pretty background for this sweet portrait of a baby lion cub.   

“Now I Lay Me”:

 

"Now I Lay Me" - Copyright Anne M. Freeman

 

Below: What a face!  You can see that the babysitter was sniffing us.  Look at the wrinkles on either side of his big nose!

“Lion Cub Resting”:

 

"Lion Cub Resting" - Copyright Anne M. Freeman

  

Below: On the other side of the track slept the matriarch and the second eldest sister.  The sun made their coats glow golden.  You can see the track of the river behind them with the lush date palms and other greenery. Far beyond you can see the hills begin, dotted with acacias.  If anything or anyone threatened the cubs on the other side of the track, these lionesses would be able to bound across to protect them within 15 or 20 seconds.  To me, this photo show the true power of the lion in their world: what other animal would be able to sleep without concern in the open in the broad daylight?  

“Golden”:

 

"Golden" - Copyright Anne M. Freeman

 

 

Below: This is a close-up of the matriarch sleeping.  Look at those shoulders! 

 

“Lisa’s Girl”:

 

 

"Lisa's Girl" - Copyright Anne M. Freeman

 

 Below: This is perhaps one of my favorite photos of the lion pride.  Look at that face! 

“Angel When Sleeping”:

 

"Angel When Sleeping" Copyright Anne M. Freeman

 

Below: Look at that scrunched up face.  They can sleep so soundly in the open.  It helps to be king.  How amazing was it to see these lions living their lives in the wild, behaving normally with us only ten yards from them? 

“Close-up of Sleeping Cub”:

 

"Close-Up of Sleeping Cub " - Copyright Anne M. Freeman

 

Below: And indeed, she is the African Queen.  In my eyes, she is stunningly beautiful, the picture of grace and power.  Look at how her features are outlined with white and black.  God’s glorious design! 

“African Queen”:

 

"African Queen" - Copyright Anne M. Freeman

 

Below: His body is compact and rounded, and his tail is loose and long.  A perfect contrast in forms.  I could photograph this cub forever and never tire of it. 

“Full Profile of Lion Cub”:

 

"Full Profile of Lion Cub" - Copyright Anne M. Freeman

 

Below: This is another of my very favorite photos.  I shot this when we approached the pride for the second time in the afternoon.  The babysitter watched our approach, and I took a many shots as I could.  This one hit pay dirt.

“I See You”:

 

"I See You" - Copyright Anne M. Freeman

 

Below: Here is my beautiful cub, in all his glory.  I imagine that he will be king someday of the Serengeti one day.  One of my best-selling prints. 

“Portrait of the Dauphin”: 

 

"Portrait of the Dauphin" - Copyright Anne M. Freeman

 

 

Below: In this photo, a third cub climbs the acacia log and greets the baby.  When the become adults, they will greet the eldest lion similarly.  I love the affection shown between these animals.

“Siblings Greeting”:

 

“Siblings Greeting” Copyright Anne M. Freeman

 

Below: This young cub joined the babysitter and the baby a little later in the morning.  I don’t know what she was doing prior – probably sleeping in the grass.  The grass is probably more comfortable, but then the animals are more exposed to insect pests.  Notice her wedge-shaped face.  She has a very different look than the babysitter. 

“Resting Cub”: 

 

"Resting Cub" - Copyright Anne M. Freeman

    

Below: The baby made good use of the arrival of a big sister. The baby promptly moved over and plopped its little body on sister’s nose!  She didn’t seem to mind, and they slept like that for a while.  

“Pillow Face”:

 

"Pillow Face" - Copyright Anne M. Freeman

  

Below: I laugh every time I look at this photo.  The baby’s body is flattened out as it spreads itself across the log.  Big sister is crashed, too.

“Flat Out”:

 

"Flat Out" - Copyright Anne M. Freeman

 

 Below: As the afternoon wore on, the matriarch and sister began to arouse from their slumbers.  Action was starting at the waterhole.  The other lionesses were closing in on the zebra herd.  I enjoy looking at how the one sister is draped over the acacia log. 

“Lionesses Arousing”:

 

"Lionesses Arousing" - Copyright Anne M. Freeman

  

Below: One of the sisters stalking zebras and wildebeests, who were heading towards the waterhole.  Look how she has her ears stiffened and out to her side.  The three lionesses gradually moved the animals towards the waterhole, where they attacked! 

“The Hunt”:

 

"The Hunt" - Copyright Anne M. Freeman

 

Below: This whimsical photo captures the lion cub in a very funny position.  He had woken from his nap and was watching the hunting action at the water hole.  He propped himself up on the Acacia tree log, but it looks like he’s riding a playground see-saw.

“See-Saw”:

 

"See-Saw" - Copyright Anne M. Freeman

 

Below: The mother lioness returns from the hunt, success literally smeared all over her face and chest.  She gathered up the cubs from the Acacia tree and led them off into the high grass.  You can see that she is happy – look at how she holds her tail up in the air and curled. The cubs most likely did not partake in this kill.  The older cubs had full bellies and the youngest two are still nursing.  The matriarch and the other sisters did not feed, either.  Nursing makes her hungry, so she needed to feed herself.

“Success!”:

 

"Success!" - Copyright Anne M. Freeman

 

Below: The matriarch and the second eldest lioness moved from the acacia log onto a knoll that overlooked the waterhole during the last minutes of the hunt.  I love this portrait – the expression on their faces.  It makes you – almost – want to go and scratch them behind their ears.  

“After the Hunt”:

 

"After the Hunt" - Copyright Anne M. Freeman

 

Below: In this photo, one of the hunting sisters joins the matriarch to rest after a long day of hunting.  Shel sleeps soundly with here sisters close by.

“Crashed”:

 

"Crashed" - Copyright Anne M. Freeman

 

Below: The third lioness in the hunt takes a well-deserved rest alongside the tracks, across from the three other lionesses.  In this shot you can see how close we were to the lions. Look at her long face.  The jeep was from a different tour company.  I went with OAT Travel out of Boston.  Their link is on my blog roll.  An Incredible Day!  

“Well-Earned Rest”:

 

"Well-Earned Rest" - Copyright Anne M. Freeman

 

 

Below: On December 3, 2011, I gave a presentation on my day with a lion pride, that included these photos as well as other animals we saw during our photo safari.  The posted was made from my photo, “Portrait of the Dauphin” in which I used the stained glass technique from Photoshop.

 

“My Day With A Lion Pride” Poster: 

 

"My Day With A Lion Pride" Poster - Copyright Anne M. Freeman

  

Thank you for joining me on this photo journey.  I hope you have the same opportunity to see these wonderful animals for yourself.  Many of these photos are available as prints for sale on my online store at:  http://www.shutterfly.com/pro/annefreemanimages/AnneFreemanImagesPhotoStore 

Cheers!

~Anne