Lions don’t mess around.
They are the king of the jungle. The OG. The big one. The animal that has been feared, respected and admired for thousands of years.
And although the male lion gets most of the attention, let’s be honest: the lioness is the real OG. She is the hunter, the provider and often the ones substaining the whole pride.
But today, we’re going to chat about the African lion and why seeing one in South Africa is such a privilege.
Sadly, like most animals, lions are unlucky enough to have to share this beautiful planet with humans. And, like most wild animals, they are under threat.
The threats come from various sources, including habitat loss, conflict with humans and hunters who call themselves “conservationists”.
Bullshit.
It’s the killing they love, but admitting that makes you look like a jerk so you say you’re shooting them for theor own good!
But I digress.
Lions need a lot of space. They need somewhere to roam, somewhere to hunt and somewhere to raise their cubs. As human populations grow and more land is developed, the amount of space available for wildlife becomes smaller.
Then there is the inevitable conflict between humans and lions.
If you are a farmer and a lion kills your livestock, that is a serious problem. It is very easy for somebody sitting thousands of miles away to tell people how they should live alongside dangerous predators. The reality is often a lot more complicated.
Finding a way for people and lions to live alongside each other is one of the great challenges facing conservation.
But despite all of that, seeing a lion in South Africa is one of those experiences that can stay with you forever.
You can see a lion in a zoo. You can watch one on television. You can look at photographs of them online.
But seeing one in the wild is different.
You are in its world.
The lion isn’t there for your entertainment. It isn’t performing for you. It has no idea that you may have travelled thousands of miles to see it.
It’s just going about its day.
It might be lying under a tree, completely ignoring the vehicle full of tourists staring at it.
It might be walking through the grass.
It might be resting alongside the rest of its pride.
Or, if you’re really lucky, you might see a group of cubs playing and fighting with one another.
And then there are those moments when a lion simply gets up and walks past you.
That is when you really appreciate just how big and powerful these animals are.
The male lion gets most of the attention, largely because of the mane. A big male lion is an impressive sight, and I don’t think anybody would argue with that.
But the lioness is every bit as impressive.
So while the male may look like the boss, the lionesses are certainly not sitting around waiting to be told what to do.
They are the real OGs.
And then there is the sound.
A lion’s roar is something else, in fact if you hear it at night, its really scary
You can hear one long before you see one, and when you are sitting in the African bush and a lion roars in the distance, it can make the whole landscape feel completely different.
Suddenly, you are very aware that you are in a wild place.
We regularly visit the lions at Botlierskop on the Garden Route, and if you’re doing a Garden Route tour, it’s a great place to see them.
Of course, if you have more time, Kruger National Park is an incredible place to see lions and other African wildlife.
Actually, I may even write a blog about the perfect Garden Route tour that ends up in Kruger National Park.
Now that would be one hell of a South African road trip.
The African lion is one of the great symbols of Africa. It represents power, strength and the wildness of the continent.
But more than anything, it is a wild animal.
And seeing one in its natural environment is a privilege.
Because when you are sitting quietly in a vehicle, looking across the African landscape, and suddenly realise that a lion is standing in front of you, something changes.
For a moment, you are reminded, you’re not the king of anything.
You are simply a visitor.
And the lion is at home.
