Not too long ago, I posted in a TWIP a remarkable sighting of the Styx Lioness in a Marula tree. This is a follow up blog post that highlights, in a little more detail, the incredible sighting my guests, Joy and I were lucky to witness.
On this particular morning, we embarked on a game drive, hoping to catch a glimpse of some of the big five. My guests were particularly fond of lions and wanted to learn about and see the different prides that occupy territory on Londolozi. After an hour or so driving in the southwestern parts of the reserve, Ranger and Tracker duo: Ross Cheshire and Life Sibuyi, had found the Styx Pride.
Upon arriving at the scene I suddenly stopped the vehicle, pointing towards a tree in the distance. At first, I could not make out whether is was a leopard, but as we got the binoculars out and looked closely, a lion stood up perched on a branch in a marula tree! I was so surprised by what I saw, as I had never seen a lion in a tree before.
A young lioness in a tree is not something you see every day!
“Are Lions good climbers?”
This was the first question one of my guests asked as we got ourselves a little closer to the marula tree. Alumni Guide, Pete Thorpe, has done the research and gathered some evidence to answer this question and I suggest you read his blog to get an in-depth understanding of their climbing abilities, in short, lions can climb trees and may do so for a number of reasons, here are a few below:
To Get a Better View
In the summer months, the grass is known to grow very tall. By climbing up high, they can survey the area and identify potential prey or threats. In this way, climbing trees is not just a survival strategy, but it also allows lions to be more efficient hunters. This lioness was scanning the open grasslands where a dazzle of zebra were feeding in the distance.
Lions are also known to scramble up trees to steal a carcass that may have been hoisted by a leopard.
To Escape Potential Threats
Another reason why lions may climb trees is to escape from predators such as hyenas or other lions. Lions are territorial animals, and they are known to defend their territory aggressively. However, if a pride of lions or a clan of hyenas threatens them, they may climb up a tree to escape the danger.
Outnumbered by the hyena, this lioness runs for cover towards the thickets.
With the above-mentioned, tracker Joy suggested that due to the age of the lionesses in the pride, it was more out of curiosity and playfulness that encouraged them up the tree and perhaps to get a better view. There was no sign of a carcass around and no obvious threat to the pride.
We decided to sit tight and after 10 minutes passed the lioness awkwardly started to move and reposition herself on the branch. “This is the moment we have been waiting for, she’s going to come down the tree” I expressed to the guests.
Although lions are decent climbers they make it look a lot more difficult than it should be. And so the not-so-graceful descent began.
Hugging the tree tightly.
Eventually resorting to the “coming-down-backwards” approach, this lioness was safely on terra firma.
As seen in the amusing video footage above, the lioness took her time to manoeuvre down the tree and did so quite ungracefully I might add. But what a special encounter and I am thrilled to have experienced another memorable sighting of the Styx Pride on Londolozi.
There have been a handful of memorable sightings of Lions in trees over the years at Londolozi. I thought I would dive into the archives and share a sighting of the Tsalala Lioness attempting to steal a carcass from the Senegal Bush Male!
Enjoy!
Thanks for the update Nick. I know climbing lions are often seen in Kenya and Tanzania, in part so they can find shade and keep away from the pesky flies. Throughout my travels in Southern Africa, I’ve never seen a lion in a tree, but it makes sense I suppose, if the grasses are tall or they’re escaping another predator. Perhaps it will happen more often.
Lions do climb trees in South Africa, a lot more often than we observe. They have the ability to do so and in certain circumstances they don’t have the choice but to take to the tree tops.
WOW great lion in tree photos. I see you were shooting at 1/8000. Is it necessary to shoot so fast. I shot birds in flight at a much lower speed. I will be there in June and want to learn as much as possible in advance.
Thanks
Mark
Hi Mark, Thanks for the comment.
It was not necessary to have my shutter speed that high to capture the movement of the lion coming down the tree. A shutter speed of 1/1000 would have sufficed. However, due to poor lighting from an overcast day and the shadow cast from the tree, I boosted my ISO in Aperture priority mode. Hope that helps.
Certainly not as graceful as leopard, but A+ for effort nonetheless! This is a sighting I’d welcome any day.
Hi Chelsea, thanks for the comment. We had a lucky day coming across this sighting.
Lions are not the most graceful climbers as your videos show, but they are capable. Thanks for the update Nick.
Its my Pleasure, William.
I remember seeing 1 of the Tsalala sisters (think it was the younger tailless one) climb a tree in 2011. She didn’t go very high and made quite a meal of getting up and back down – definitely a million miles away from the grace of a leopard. I hope they don’t develop a taste for it, as I don’t want a repeat of Plaque Rock’s close shave or the Piva male’s death.
Hi Suzanne, thanks for the comment and sharing your special sighting. What a cool memory! Although it provides us with incredible sightings, we don’t want lions to get to comfortable climbing trees and stealing Leopard kills.
Nick thanks for sharing the videos of tree climbing lions. They are certainly not graceful clinbers and certainly cannot come down gracefully like the leopards do. But much to our amusement we enjoyed watching the videos.
Hi Valmai! Im thrilled you enjoyed the videos of the tree climbing lions.
Wow … those videos are amazing!!!
Thanks Bob and Lucie.
Great photos and video of this tree climbing lioness, Nick.
I have seen lions in trees in Tanzania and I think Botswana as well.
And of course in that great video from Londolozi which you also included in your blog. I love watching that video time and again
Thanks Christa! Im so glad you enjoyed watching the videos both old and new from Londolozi.
Hi Nick, those young ladies are really funny and amazingly beautiful and expressive. Their seem to smile, are like teenagers having fun. I would choose them in a week in pictures selection. Behaviour evolves in a way to favour survival , so maybe they will have more chances in the future, without harming leopards i hope
Thanks for the comment Francesca! They were really entertaining that day and I always enjoy seeing animals different behaviour from day to day. Luckily leopards still hold the crown of best climbers which keeps them out of harms way for the most part.
Nick, Thanks for sharing the amazing tree-climbing lions! You are right, they may be able to climb the trees, but getting down is another story!
Thanks for the comment Michael and Terri.
The lioness escaping the hyena…was she injured? Any idea why she waited so long to get away from them (letting them surround her)? Hopefully that was a good ending for her!
Hi Anita, That picture was from a different sighting but used to explain why lionesses would climb a tree. In that particular case, there was a zebra carcass that had been stolen by a clan of Hyenas and the lioness was trying to recover her meal. She was unharmed in the ordeal!
Lions in trees are always exciting…..unless you are the leopard above them! Even though we know that leopards are far more graceful in trees, it always is comical to see a lion really struggling to come down a tree….you would think the basic instinct to turn around and back down would be a given!
Hi Lisa, Thanks for the comment. I respect the lions for attempting to get up and down the tree even though it was very entertaining to watch.
How very cool to see that. Very ungraceful dissent. Lol. Leopards make it look so easy.
Leopards make it look so easy indeed Kara! Thanks for the comment.
Incredible sighting and images of the Styx loiness in the Marula tree! I also loved revisiting the videos from previous posts of lions in trees. Excellent post Nick!!