Last week’s beautiful Week in Pictures by Simon Smit featured a number of photographs of lions on the sands of the Manyelethi Riverbed. Myself and Simon were driving a photographic group at the time, and had found the lions at the same spot the morning before. Simon and tracker Lucky Shabangu were on foot, following the lion’s trail, when tracker Euce pulled off a fantastic spot from high on the cliffs overlooking the Manyelethi. Glimpsing movement far below, he indicated that I should reverse, and there was the pride, emerging from the thicket line to drink from a pool in the riverbed, very close to where Simon and Lucky were following their tracks, barely 100 m away. The lions had full bellies, and whilst we managed to manoeuver the vehicles down into the sand for a closer view, there was not a lot of activity from the pride and we left soon afterwards.
Waking before dawn the following day, Simon was pretty sure he had heard the roars of male lions from somewhere near where we had seen the pride, and we decided to head back to the spot to see if the Majingilane coalition might be in attendance, and also if we could get the beautiful morning light on the pride for some photographs.
Our luck was in!
Positioning the vehicles on eye-level with the lions, close to where they were sleeping on a sandbank (just the sleeping pride at first, so initial disappointment) we settled down to wait and see what would happen.
As the light strengthened, three of the Majingilane emerged from the thicket line, one by one. The dawn turned into day, and with it came high spirits amongst the cubs of the pride. Revelling in the warmth of a new day, they chased each other around, picking up sticks, annoying the males, and simply delighting in being alive.
Some of the photos here are very similar to Simon’s, as the best moments had us both reaching for our cameras, but I felt I also needed to share some shot of one of the best lion sightings I’ve had in recent months!
Enjoy…
A sleepy glance from a lioness and two cubs as the pride begins to wake up.
More alert now as the pride feels the approach of the sun…
The fun begins!
Cubs of many predator species spend time playing with inanimate objects, chewing sticks and chasing small creatures. All their play hones their instincts and develops the skills and muscles they will need in later life. Of course, when one has a stick, they ALL want the stick!
The fact that the lions were up on a sandbank enabled us to get some wonderful eye-level shots of their antics.
The flying sand helped emphasise the action.
A hooded vulture that had been hanging around to try and get some scraps of the lions kill (an impala) provided a nice target for the cubs to chase.
One really couldn’t ask for a more beautiful setting or for better lighting conditions in a sighting like this.
Cubs tumble down the bank as the games become rough.
Simon Smit grins as he checks out some of his photos. A sighting like this doesn’t happen all that often!
The dark-maned Majingilane snarls at two of the cubs as his tolerance level reaches its limit.
A last bout of rough play before settling down for the morning.
A glance back towards his pride and cubs before moving into the thicket to sleep for the day.
Photographed by James Tyrrell
Have you seen lions cubs playing? Share your experience with us below.
Awesome pics, great sighting
What a wonderful sighting to have had. Well captured James and well done to Simon for last week’s images.
Lovely pictures James & Simon. You really have the best jobs 🙂
What an awesome morning that must have been.. Nice chubby cubs too! May the weeks ahead bring you many more such sightings.. Thank you for sharing!
Fantastic sighting and amazing photographs James! I really love hearing about the lions and seeing their photos. It’s nice to see the cubs doing so well! Thank you for sharing such a wonderful sighting.