Category: lion

As most cats, African Lions have very sharp and retractable claws (Five on each front paw and four on each back paw). These 18 most formidable weapons are up to 38mm (1.5″) in length.

And as most other cats they are very at good climbing up trees but they are rather bad getting down again. Their sharp claws support their ascent, but they are facing the wrong direction when descending head first. Unfortunately the Lions have never learned how come down backwards!

Technical data: Canon R6 with EF lens f2.8/70-200mm | ISO 1000 | 1/2000sec | f2.8 | ev+0 | 165mm | WB 6500K | AV Mode | Crop to 20% of original image | handheld on eye-level

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Disney’s cartoon character slept 24 hours a days. Our Lions manage almost as much. If they have a full belly from a good meal they can easily sleep up to 20 hours per day.

Like most carnivores (meat eaters) they are able to ingest huge amounts of meat very quickly. A male Lion can eat around 40kg (~90lbs) of meat from one kill. With such a full stomach they rest and only get up to drink lots of water and urinate/dedicate as needed.

But one should not be fooled. Their sleep is not deep and if anything disturbs them they are up in seconds, ready to defend themselves, run away, or kill a prey animal if it ventures too close to them.

This picture shows a young Thanda Safari male Lion resting on a recently burned area with the new grass sprouting after the recent rains.

Technical data: Canon R6 with EF lens f2.8/70-200mm | ISO 800 | 1/500sec | f2.8 | ev+0 | 150mm | WB 6500K | AV Mode | Crop to 80% of original image | hand-held on eye level

#amazingwildlife #africansafari #safarigetaway #christiansperkaphotography #thandasafari #big5 #gamereserve #wildlifephotography #learnphotography

… means ‘the one who rules’ in isiZulu. Thanda Safari’s dominant male Lion ‘rules’ all the prides on the reserve. Well, at least as far as the leading ladies let him.

I took this picture last Tuesday as he was tracking the Intibane Pride on the western part of the reserve. But one thing is certain: He is a handsome chap!

Technical data: Canon R6 with EF lens f4.0/500mm | ISO 200 | 1/500sec | f4 | ev0 | 500mm | WB 6500K | AV Mode | Crop to 40% of original image

#amazingwildlife #africansafari #safarigetaway #christiansperkaphotography #thandasafari #big5 #gamereserve #wildlifephotography #learnphotography

A young Lion enjoying some spare ribs!

Last night we watched one of Thanda Safari’s pride of Lions resting next to this Nyala carcass. All nine cats had very full bellies, so we assumed there was at least one more kill near by. A single Nyala would not have provided enough meat to fill them all up.

Technical data: Canon R6 with EF lens f2.8/300mm | ISO 100 | 1/750sec | f4 | ev0 | 300mm | WB 6500K | Crop to 40% of original image

#amazingwildlife #africansafari #safarigetaway #christiansperkaphotography #thandasafari #big5 #gamereserve #wildlifephotography #learnphotography

At 4:30 this morning I woke up to an incredible loud Lion‘s roar, obviously just front of my home.

Not to miss the opportunity to record this incredible noise I grabbed my iPhone and rushed to my car as I was (in Pyjamas☺️).

And our dominant male delivered! I captured what I think is my best Lion roar sound recording since I came to Africa. The first 30 seconds of this video were recorded long before sunrise with the Lion hiding in high grass (I used a still picture of the morning sky with the video).

Once he got moving I followed him for the next two hours, recording two more roars. But none was as good as the first one in the dark.

‚Hearing cat‘s night noises in the front yard’ has a totally different meaning when you live in the bush. I love it!

#amazingwildlife #africansafari #safarigetaway #christiansperkaphotography #thandasafari #big5 #gamereserve #wildlifephotography #learnphotography

#amazingwildlife #africansafari #safarigetaway #christiansperkaphotography #thandasafari #big5 #gamereserve #wildlifephotography #learnphotography

Their mum had killed a baby Warthog as dinner for these four small Lion cubs. At this age the cubs still get their main nutrition from mother’s milk, but the Lioness decided to introduce them to meat at this early stage.

Technical data: Canon R6 with EF lens 300mm L and EF lens 500mm L 4K Video 50Fps

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One of four new Lion cubs at Thanda Safari. Spotted this evening with their mum!

#amazingwildlife #africansafari #safarigetaway #christiansperkaphotography #thandasafari #big5 #gamereserve #wildlifephotography #learnphotography