The Mane Event

Here Kitty, Kitty!

I’m a cat lady. Not that I don’t like dogs, I do. But I’ve always loved cats more and have spent countless hours observing their behaviors and quirks. And yes, I often get caught up in endless social media reels, laughing out loud at cat behavior. But when we got up close and personal with this particular guy, well, I wasn’t about to invite him to sit on my lap or attempt to scratch his belly. He was simply magnificent! And let me tell you, he was BIG! We were seated in the very last row of seats on our safari jeep, which placed us roughly 5 feet above the ground, but he was still less than 10 feet away from us – a short leap for a creature of his size. I was literally shaking with excitement (and fear) as I desperately tried to steady my camera to capture this unforgettable moment and take his picture. I like to think he’s attempting a smile for the camera - CHEESE!

We saw this impressive lion shortly after taking off in the wee hours of the morning for our Shalati sunrise safari - the only time in my life where a 4 am wake-up call was answered with excitement! Our guide brought us right up to a couple who were taking a break for their (up to 24 hours - yikes!) mating session. While they were enjoying their rest, we heard another male nearby. Mishack, our incredibly knowledgeable and wonderful Shalati safari guide, informed us that this older lion had likely lost his entire pride, along with his female lions, to the prowess of the younger and more dominant male. Roars and growls could be heard from about a quarter of a mile away from the couple, making it abundantly clear that he wasn’t pleased with his current demotion in status. And considering it was barely dawn, I’d be grumpy too!

Below is a short clip of the couple moving locations.

The lion couple was moving to a new location (probably away from the lights). The male let our guide know that he needed to move our jeep! The roar was much louder in person!