The Teenage Lion

On our second safari in Kenya, we were going to see a teenage lion up close and personal! It was about 6:30 in the morning when Joumana and I had left the hotel with our guide Albert. The sun was slowly rising and many animals could still be seen because the weather was still not warm enough for them to want to hide in the shade. Most predators do not tolerate the afternoon heat of the afternoon and prefer to sleep in the shade.

A few minutes after we left the hotel, we saw several jeeps gathered around something. As we approached, I noticed that cameras of the tourists in those jeeps were flashing more and more, and it was clear that there was something interesting to photograph.

A young male lion was lying on the ground. At about 50 meters from him there was a lioness that was resting as well. They did not seem to be hungry; neither seemed getting prepared to hunt a prey. We would also think that they were not aware of the jeeps around them, nor the occupants and their curious glances. The lion was closely focused on the female, his eyes fixed on her, carefully watching every move she made. He was either her son, or he might have been only interested in mating with her. Nevertheless, when the lioness parted, the teenage lion stood up and followed her. They both walked away in the Kenyan savannah.

In French: Le jeune lion