| The African lion is fabled as the King | | | | between them and the mating lions. |
| of the African Jungle. On a recent | | | | Maasai co-exist with the wildlife |
| vacation to the Maasai Mara game reserve | | | | We were about to leave when I noticed |
| in Kenya, I was awed at the sheer | | | | their surprised look. Like we didn't |
| respect that the African lion commands. | | | | understand that lions are part of their |
| It was one of the most rewarding trips | | | | life. Like we needed not to have |
| in all my wildlife safari vacations. | | | | bothered them with the obvious. That's |
| It was the morning a day after our | | | | when I realized how much the Maasai have |
| arrival at Olarro Camp located in the | | | | learnt the art of co-existence with the |
| Maasai Mara, one of the best animal | | | | wildlife. I wouldn't have been amazed if |
| safari destinations in Africa. We | | | | they had walked right passed us, as we |
| departed camp at around 6.00am in the | | | | watched the lions like there was no |
| morning for our much awaited morning | | | | danger. I imagine them walking in |
| game drive. Our Maasai guide, Sammy, and | | | | between us and the pride, chatting and |
| the camp manager Sean packed us in their | | | | laughing at this group of tourists |
| open Land rover truck and off we went on | | | | huddled silently, scarred stiff and |
| a popular game track. We were pleasantly | | | | almost immobilized by the sheer might of |
| surprised at Sammy's spotting prowess | | | | the African lion at a mating contest. |
| that, less than a kilometer from camp, | | | | The million dollar gaze of the lion |
| had already spotted a lone male cheetah. | | | | This was an experience that I always |
| Probably on its early morning hunting | | | | relive when I look at the photos taken |
| stakeout, the cheetah wasn't very amused | | | | on that safari. It's what an African |
| at our unwelcome intrusion and trudged | | | | lion safari does to you. You get to be |
| along grudgingly. | | | | in the presence of his highness the |
| The mating Lions | | | | majesty king of the Jungle...in his |
| Off we went to look out for the elusive | | | | tuff. Nothing beats that glaring look |
| lions in the short savannah brush. We | | | | and the thrill that goes with it when |
| were negotiating a blind corner when | | | | your eyes lock into his menacing, |
| .....Wham... a pride of 3 young males in | | | | unblinking and threatening |
| the company of a lone female. The minute | | | | stare...That's the African lion |
| I spotted the lions, I knew this is not | | | | stare....humbling it is. |
| the situation you want to seem too | | | | African Lion coming of age |
| intrusive. One seemingly larger male | | | | The African lion matures at the age of |
| Lion with a slightly darkening mane was | | | | 4-5 years. A fully grown male lion has a |
| separated from other 2 young and was | | | | very dark mane while the youth grow a |
| busy courting a Lioness. The two other | | | | mane gradually, which then darkens as |
| lions seemed to have lost the contest | | | | they progress in age. The males are |
| for the single lioness and were circling | | | | pushed off their families when they |
| around the pair with a lot of | | | | become sexually mature by the king of |
| bitterness. Our arrival had simply | | | | the pride. African Lions usually sleep |
| compounded their anger. On the other | | | | and rest for 16hours a day only getting |
| hand, we had walked onto a mating pair | | | | up to hunt in the early mornings, late |
| and the dominant male was so infuriated | | | | evenings and at night. Usually the |
| by our interruption of his engrossing | | | | King-lion of the pride commands between |
| activities with the lioness. We simply | | | | 5-10 lionesses including the cubs. This |
| had too many lions against our arrival. | | | | male will aggressively protect its |
| For a full 5 minutes, there was absolute | | | | territory against intruding males who |
| silence as each party looked deep and | | | | contest for the females. |
| hard into the eyes of the other. Trying | | | | Overthrowing the Lion King |
| to read the intent of either, we starred | | | | There are a lot of coup d'e'tat in the |
| long and hard. I could feel my | | | | lion kingdom and the male constantly |
| thunderous pulse as through my heart had | | | | gets into territorial wars with invading |
| moved into my arms and ears. Our fear | | | | lions. Once in a while a female becomes |
| was worsened by the fact that we were | | | | disenchanted and leaves the pride to |
| riding in an open vehicle and the lions | | | | seek out younger and more aggressive |
| would have had no trouble taking us out | | | | males. Once a lion has successfully |
| .... one by one. | | | | overthrown a dominant male, they set |
| Deceitful distraction | | | | upon establishing their kingdom |
| The African lion has this uncanny | | | | immediately by making the females |
| behaviour when faced by such an intense | | | | submissive. How they do this is what |
| gridlock. It simply looks aside as if | | | | will surprise you. |
| something else more urgent got its | | | | Conqueror males kill all Cubs |
| attention, while keeping you within its | | | | One of the most bizarre behaviour of |
| visual sphere. This serves two purposes, | | | | lions is that a conqueror male often |
| one is to disarm you by trying to | | | | kills all young cubs fathered by the |
| distract your stare and secondly to | | | | defeated former king lion of the pride. |
| cleverly provide a leeway to the impasse | | | | The lioness will fight, sometimes to |
| and hostility created by locking eyes in | | | | death, when the male lion goes for her |
| an imminent confrontation. When faced by | | | | cubs. There are two reasons for this |
| a formidable enemy who it cannot | | | | behaviour, one is to establish a lineage |
| translate to food, the African lion will | | | | of his own and secondly to as quickly as |
| never attack if you have your eyes | | | | possible make the females come to |
| locked. One cannot be too cautious; "you | | | | oestrus and ready to mate. It's always a |
| never know what surprise these humans | | | | rush before other male lions come to |
| can spring... a club, machete or worse | | | | undermine his authority over the pride. |
| even....a bloody gun". | | | | Traveling to the Maasai Mara -Kenya |
| The day is saved | | | | On arrival in Nairobi, one is picked up |
| A relief to this situation came from the | | | | by his tour operator for an overnight |
| other two young, small maned lions who | | | | stay at the city's many five star |
| noticed their chances of contesting for | | | | Hotels. It's always advisable to have a |
| the lioness, had just gone from worse to | | | | night rest before embarking on to the |
| impossible.....there were just too many | | | | Mara; if you are to enjoy your game |
| of us for their liking. They casually | | | | drives. The next morning you drive about |
| strolled of with their heads high and | | | | 400km to the Mara in either a 4x4 or a |
| into underbrush. It took the older male | | | | minivan and you are booked into many of |
| Lion about five minutes to be reassured | | | | the world class lodges in the Game |
| that we posed no threat to his mating | | | | Reserve. You will be entitled to at |
| advances to the lioness. Usually, the | | | | least 2 game drives a day and you will |
| most dangerous situations to be caught | | | | be surprised at the animals you will see |
| in are between a mating pair or a | | | | immediately outside the gate to your |
| lioness with its cubs. The King lion | | | | lodge...That's Mara for you. |
| proceeded to mate with the female | | | | The wonder that is the Mara |
| unperturbed by our presence; like we | | | | Elephants graze 1 metre off your game |
| never existed.... and if we did then he | | | | drive tracks, cheetahs will stare at you |
| was seeing things or could as well have | | | | seated majestically under tree trunks |
| been blind. "A lion's got to do what a | | | | and occasionally jump on the hood of |
| lion got to do....you want to stay and | | | | your car for that vantage view point for |
| watch... well that's your problem" | | | | prey, a herd of a thousand buffalos will |
| We finally decided that we needed to | | | | gaze at you all at once with over 2,000 |
| give them their space and started to | | | | eye balls, lions will sprawl for an hour |
| drive off. The dominant king lion must | | | | underneath your van for the shade and |
| have thanked us for making his | | | | wildebeest will gallop past your car in |
| competition from the other two go away. | | | | their millions as they head for the |
| But just as we started off we heard | | | | breath taking river crossings packed |
| excited human voices and knew they were | | | | with crocodiles and strong currents. |
| headed for certain disaster. We revved | | | | An experience worth its weight in |
| off our car towards the noises and found | | | | platinum. Please email this article to |
| four Maasai women chatting animatedly as | | | | friends who enjoy wildlife in the Wild. |
| they made a beeline to a river, 100m | | | | |