It was early November and I was driving
around Laikipia’s Ol Pejeta Conservancy with professional wildlife photographer
and dear friend Margot Raggett. We had failed spectacularly in our search for cats that
morning, but around lunchtime we heard that lions had been spotted recently in the area
so we decided to return in the afternoon and soldier on. A combination of
desperate hope, Margot’s eagle eyes and pure luck produced the result we were
hoping for: a solo lioness emerged from the bushes. She seemed to be waiting
for something, staring resolutely into the bushes behind. At first we thought
she was hunting and had spotted a tasty impala shaped snack that we couldn’t see.
But about five minutes later a mating pair of lions arrived.
She ran over to join them. They all seemed
familiar and greeted each other affectionately, but she was obviously very
interested in the male. Amid our scandalous chatter about lion relations I
gasped, “Margot! There’s another male.” A big male appeared near by and made a bee-line
for the threesome.
He wasted no time splitting them up and
then a loud and bloody fight erupted between the two males. It happened so
quickly I barely had time to register it. I just pressed click!
It was everything you would imagine it
would be. When such an incredibly powerful force of nature unexpectedly erupts
it is thrilling, terrifying and magical. Sometimes I get complacent watching
these great beasts sleeping. They grumble and ignore everyone and everything around
them and I wonder what all the fuss is about. This scene reminded me why lions
are ‘the king of the jungle.’
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| Claiming his prize |
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| Injured but victorious |
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| The female in question |
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