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Okavanga — Lion Family 1

#lion #lioness #serengeti #tanzania #wildanimals #wildlifephotography
Published: 2015-11-22 11:14:11 +0000 UTC; Views: 442; Favourites: 34; Downloads: 4
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Description The Leopard and the LionsJust South of the Lemala Camp, in the central Serengeti, stands a solitary statuesque sausage tree (Kigelia africana) http://www.kew.org/science-conservation/plants-fungi/kigelia-africana-sausage-tree Rising to 15 meters, with its convoluted branches covered in dense foliage and with its large sausage-shaped fruits hanging ripe to fall, this tree casts a wide shadow over a dry gulch of an ephemeral river that floods the land in the rainy season. Parched land covered in long but dessicated grass lies all around, an occasional thorn bush breaking the local monotony. This is where we found the lions that morning. I say "we" found the lions, rather our amazing guide/driver Alfred the Great, he of the lucky belt (more of which in a later Feature) had found the lions after a careful study of tracks and patches of flattened grass. Standing up in the Land Cruiser, scouring the landscape, my wife and I saw nothing until Alfred whispered, "There, in the gulch - a paw!" Carefully manoeu
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Comments: 19

kalabatik [2015-12-30 12:58:02 +0000 UTC]

magnificent pic.. do you mind if a take this photo as reference for some drawings?... thank you for sharing it.

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Okavanga In reply to kalabatik [2015-12-31 09:15:01 +0000 UTC]

No probs. You can use it provided credit is given.

Cheers
David

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Persephone-Almana [2015-11-25 15:46:38 +0000 UTC]

Awesome shot of them. I guess this is a picture of the last time we will see lions in the wild. 

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Okavanga In reply to Persephone-Almana [2015-11-26 07:42:06 +0000 UTC]

Many thanks for the nice comment. Actually, lions are doing very well in the plains and bush of Tanzania and East and Southern Africa in general. I think they are going to be around for along time yet!

Cheers

David

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Persephone-Almana In reply to Okavanga [2015-11-26 11:26:56 +0000 UTC]

Your welcome. Oh that's good to hear, I think so too as long as poachers, big game hunters or trophy hunters don't get them. 

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Okavanga In reply to Persephone-Almana [2015-11-26 16:31:18 +0000 UTC]

Very unlikely!

David

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LindArtz [2015-11-24 16:30:15 +0000 UTC]

These are truly some fantastic shots you were so very lucky to get.   Thanks for sharing with us.

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Okavanga In reply to LindArtz [2015-11-25 07:20:51 +0000 UTC]

Many thanks, Linda - indeed, as always, luck is essential in wildlife work.

Cheers

David

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Movinglolkek [2015-11-23 07:10:02 +0000 UTC]

Cute!

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Okavanga In reply to Movinglolkek [2015-11-23 11:22:44 +0000 UTC]

Hi Kate - thank you for that - probably not so cute if you went near them!

Cheers

David

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Scooby777 [2015-11-22 22:00:30 +0000 UTC]

Wonderful capture, David!  Great framing!

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Okavanga In reply to Scooby777 [2015-11-23 11:21:56 +0000 UTC]

Many thanks, Sheri - just the perfect pose!

Cheers

David

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Scooby777 In reply to Okavanga [2015-11-23 12:49:43 +0000 UTC]

Well, we know that if they are posing, it had nothing to do with you...but lucky day indeed!  These lions have gotten used to being gawked at and the sound of shutters closing.  300mm lens helps, too...I am not sure I would want to even be that close.

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Okavanga In reply to Scooby777 [2015-11-23 13:33:19 +0000 UTC]

Good point, Sheri - lion prides are endlessly fascinating for those on safari and this one will have been under scrutiny before. Good point, to, about being so close. I had closed my 100-400 mm lens down to 300 mm as we were so close - about 15 - 20 metres away. They did not seem bothered at all by our presence, but that leopard was causing a major problem.

Cheers

David

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Scooby777 In reply to Okavanga [2015-11-23 20:19:56 +0000 UTC]

Being charged by a leopard is not an experience I would want to have!

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Okavanga In reply to Scooby777 [2015-11-24 07:23:21 +0000 UTC]

Indeed!

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jennystokes [2015-11-22 15:19:35 +0000 UTC]

  

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Okavanga In reply to jennystokes [2015-11-23 11:20:29 +0000 UTC]

 

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jennystokes In reply to Okavanga [2015-11-23 11:23:02 +0000 UTC]

 

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