Skybed Coalition

[Fredymrt]

Battle in the Bush
Credits to Kevin McDonald.
Posted on  Jan 1, 2012

"In June 2011, Loreen and I were in Kruger when we witnessed a fight among some lions in the central part of the park. The images I captured of this incident, were submitted to the TV show 50/50 for broadcast on their VeldFokus feature. They won me the honour of being runner up in the 2011 VeldFokus competition, quite exciting!"

*This image is copyright of its original author

This obscure view through branches of a lone lioness on a buffalo kill was all we saw and we were about to leave when a lot of snarling and roaring emerged from the trees below us.

*This image is copyright of its original author

Out of the trees right next to our car stormed a light coloured lioness chased by two other darker coloured lions, one of them a young male

*This image is copyright of its original author

The pursuit continued down the road..

*This image is copyright of its original author

The drivers of this armoured vehicle were delighted by the sight of lions in the road but didn't wait around long.

*This image is copyright of its original author

Keeping ahead of her pusuers the first lioness kept walking

*This image is copyright of its original author

but then she turned around as if to confront them..

*This image is copyright of its original author

What now?

*This image is copyright of its original author

As the lioness neared her rivals they turned on her.

*This image is copyright of its original author

She ran a short distance down the road
Then she stopped and challenged the other two .

*This image is copyright of its original author

At this point I wished I understood better how to read the body language of lions.

*This image is copyright of its original author

Despite her threats, the other two lions advanced steadily. Eventually they were right on her
Things got quite intense, mostly it just seemed like posturing.

*This image is copyright of its original author

The pale lioness gave way
then ran away for a short distance.

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

She then procceds to roar (as I didn't know lionesses could)

*This image is copyright of its original author

roaring...

*This image is copyright of its original author

The next thing we knew, this magnificent male came into view running around a bend in the road about 100m ahead of us.

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

He stopped running and let out a spine tingling roar, a most awesome sight and sound.

*This image is copyright of its original author

after roaring he began running again and i held the camera steady and clicked away.

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

all four feet off the ground.

*This image is copyright of its original author

the two dark lions, seeing what they were up against, bolted into the bush with this giant right behind them, sadly the last we saw of them. Reply