US Person promised his readers more photos of Zambia's wildlife, so here is a photo gallery of the "Pride of Seventeen" that calls South Luangwa National Park home. The pride is large by Zambian standards and is presided over by an impressive black mained male. The adult females and subadults were photographed enjoying a meal of buffalo calf in the Mushilashi River. The pride male relaxed on the far bank, digesting his earlier repast. Kudos to my guide Andrew, who used his knowledge of buffalo behavior and Park geography to find this pride of lions which might have been missed without his expertise. He conjectured a nearby herd of agitated Cape Buffalo had been ambushed as they crossed the deep sand of the riverbed, giving the lions an advantage over their hoofed prey.
Lions are descended from an ancestor felid that was spotted--perhaps an adaptation to hunting in dappled light such as in a forest. As forests gave way to grasslands and the lion moved out onto the plains in search of food. There developed it's more suitable tawny coat. This female shows her ancestral spots on her rear hindquarters.
One of the females in this group (L) is wearing a large radio collar. She was collared by an African wild dog study project that is investigating the relationship between the rare canine and other predators. Hopefully the collar will be removed when it has served its purpose.
Cape Buffalo are the lions preferred prey, although they will take zebras, boar, and antelopes. If they are starving, or too ill to hunt, lions will scavenge. Buffalo are formidable prey: very strong with tough hides and curving horns that can gut a lion in one swipe. This herd was sighted while walking to Luwi Camp. They have excellent senses of smell and hearing, but their eyesight is about as good as humans, making them dangerous to approach on foot. They have a reputation among hunters as being very fierce when wounded.
It is good to be full! A satisfied lioness relaxes and listens near her sisters. Lions are terrific hunters, able to bring down prey many times there size, but no match for men armed with high powered rifles. They need protection because their numbers continue to dwindle as African development reaches into the bush.
One of the females in this group (L) is wearing a large radio collar. She was collared by an African wild dog study project that is investigating the relationship between the rare canine and other predators. Hopefully the collar will be removed when it has served its purpose.
Cape Buffalo are the lions preferred prey, although they will take zebras, boar, and antelopes. If they are starving, or too ill to hunt, lions will scavenge. Buffalo are formidable prey: very strong with tough hides and curving horns that can gut a lion in one swipe. This herd was sighted while walking to Luwi Camp. They have excellent senses of smell and hearing, but their eyesight is about as good as humans, making them dangerous to approach on foot. They have a reputation among hunters as being very fierce when wounded.