5 Most Memorable Lion Encounters While On Safari

In celebration of #WorldLionDay, I've compiled some photographs of my top five most memorable lion encounters from several different safaris I've taken in South Africa, Namibia, and Tanzania.

The Family Portrait

I never had the opportunity to capture a lion family in the wild until my most recent trip to Thornybush Game Reserve, located just outside Kruger National Park in South Africa. Shortly after sunrise, we spent almost an hour with the cutest little 3-month old cub and his sleepy parents. It was clear the cub had enough energy to play for a few more hours, but after a few licks and a quick scolding, he eventually settled down for a snooze.

The Surprise

We spent the greater part of a morning and afternoon searching for lions in Etosha National Park, Namibia, and kept coming up empty. We could hear their roars from our campsite at dawn and knew they probably hadn't wandered too far. We would have driven past this lone male surveying his territory had I not yelled "LION!" (and scared everyone, including myself, in the process).

The Ones I Didn't See

As much as I love self-drive safaris, it can be really hard to spot lions without the aid of a professional wildlife tracker (or, at the very least, an app). There are two female lions in this photo taken at Etosha National Park in Namibia, but, I didn't notice them until I started reviewing my photos after the trip. Can you spot them?

The Lucky Lioness

I kept a short diary while traveling in Tanzania. Here is a page from Mikumi National Park, where it is rare to spot lions: It felt like the heat from the sun was descending from above, then all around, settling in-between every skinny blade of tall grass. She was breathing heavily when we spotted her. Perhaps she had just lost a chase, or worse, recovering from an attack. I could sense her impatience and uneasiness as she searched for a place to hide. I barely had enough time to take a photo before she disappeared under a large bush. I hope it came out okay.

The First Time

I'll never forget the first time I saw a lion in Africa (and it's not just because I had a close encounter with them). It was during my visit to Zimbabwe that I began to realize the impact the tourism industry's demand for wildlife experiences (more like wildlife entertainment) is having on lions. For more information, take a look at the brochure Breeding Cruelty by World Animal Protection.

Though Cecil's death has stirred some very interesting debates about the sport and canned hunting industries, I'd rather take some time today to highlight the people and organizations that are doing really great work towards ensuring big cat populations remain sustainable across the globe. So thank you Panthera, African Parks, Ewaso Lions, Ruaha Carnivore Project, and the African Wildlife Foundation for all the great work that you do!