Lion

Panthera leo

Description:

While winding our way around Ambosili's dusty roads on our evening game drive, our driver spotted a lion lounging in the tall grass, and gave the Masai chief who missed it a good natured ribbing. It was hard to see from where we were though, so we continued until we saw a line of matatu all full of passengers eagerly looking to the left. We drove up to see what all the excitement was about, and found three lionesses napping a few hundred feet away. One would get up to stretch, then notice the others were still sleeping and lie back down. Shortly afterward, then next lioness would do the same. We watched a few rounds of this from a distance, then drove off to see if there wasn't something more interesting... or at least closer. When we turned back the way we came, we discovered that the lionesses had woken up and were heading off to hunt. We were happy to discover also that they were heading toward us, so we prepared for some close-up shots while the other safari tourists were busily photographing lioness backsides. Sure enough, the lionesses walked right up to us. They came so close that I felt a little bit uncomfortable with my proximity to such a powerful predator, and I decided to slide the window shut very soon after the closest shot was taken. The lionesses continued past, largely uninterested in us and our vehicle, and headed off to hunt. A couple of jackals sat near their eventual path, but a glance in their direction from one of the big cats was all it took to send one running and the other into hiding. The trio didn't bother to pursue... they were clearly out for a larger meal. As the last of the three lionesses passed us, she paused briefly to glance toward us before heading off to join the others. From any distance at all, a lioness hiding in the grass like this would be nearly invisible to a casual observer, and even the Masai prefer to face them in the open, where they can not so easily vanish and outflank a would-be hunter. The Masai have great respect for lions... not only for their power, but also for their cunning tactics and skill in battle.