The Mane Event

Here Kitty, Kitty!

I’ll admit it—I’m a cat lady. While I like dogs, cats have always held a special place in my heart, and I can easily spend hours watching their quirky habits (or getting lost in endless cat reels online). But when we found ourselves up close and personal with this particular cat, I certainly wasn't about to invite him onto my lap.

He was magnificent—and massive. From the back row of our safari jeep, elevated about five feet off the ground, he was still less than ten feet away. That's a short leap for a creature of his size. My hands were shaking from a mix of sheer thrill and mild terror as I tried to steady the camera. I like to think he was smiling for the shot—cheese!

A Dawn Encounter in Kruger

We spotted this impressive lion shortly after taking off at dawn for our Shalati sunrise safari in Kruger National Park, South Africa—the only 4:00 AM wake-up call I’ve ever answered with genuine excitement.

Our guide brought us right near a couple taking a break from an intense mating session (which can last up to 24 hours!). While they rested, the distant roars of another male echoed from about a quarter-mile away.

Our guide, Mishack, explained that this older lion had likely lost his pride and females to the younger, more dominant male. He was clearly unhappy about his recent demotion—and considering the sun was barely up, I couldn't blame him for being grumpy!

Below is a short clip of the couple moving locations.

Video of the lion couple changing locations.

Moving On

The lion couple eventually decided to move to a new location (probably to get away from the lights). As they shifted, the male let our guide know in no uncertain terms that we needed to move our jeep! Hearing that roar in person was exponentially louder and more intense than anything a video clip could ever capture.