All hail the mighty lion – King of Beasts, Lord of the Jungle and Master of all that he surveys.
The lion is the subject of folklore and fantasy, immortalized in print, screen and cave paintings all over the world. Let’s find out more about this powerful predator that rules over the African savannah and increase your chances of seeing one during your southern African safari.
A Lion’s Lifestyle
Chances are, if you judge the lion by its reputation, you’re likely to be a little disappointed when you first see one. You’re also likely to be looking in all the wrong places!
The most-common place to spot lions is not high on a clifftop overlooking their realm – that’s the stuff of animated fairytales. You’re most likely to see them lying flat out on the ground, in the shade, having a nap. Lions can sleep for up to 20 hours a day.
Their camouflage is quite astonishing and unless you look carefully or are in the presence of a trained game ranger, it’s easy to look straight past (or over) them as they loll among the golden grasses of Africa.
Most of this royal nap time takes place during the day and while it may lack the appeal of an action-filled sighting – it does give you a chance to watch them more easily, see how they interact together and take amazing photographs.
Tough Family Ties
A lion’s life is not easy, and is particularly tough for male lion cubs of which only about one in eight survive to adulthood. Male lions usually remain with the pride for about 3 years until they are defeated in combat by a younger, stronger lion, who then takes up residency with the pride.
The young males kicked out of the pride roam the wilderness solo, sometimes forming small bands with cousins or brothers, negotiating the territories of other prides as they hunt to survive.
As a coalition, these young males will eventually try to claim their own territory but in order to do this they will have to take over another pride, fighting the other males often to the death.
When a new male enters the pride, they will kill any of their offspring’s progeny to clear the gene pool and bring the females back into heat.
During their down-time, lions interact with each other by licking, purring and rubbing their heads together. The cubs play at hunting and stalking each other, vital skills for surviving in the wild.
Night Life
When the sun sets, a totally different side of the lion emerges. Their lazy daytime personalities change, and they start to live up to their reputation as feared hunters.
Like all cats, lions have excellent night vision and are efficient hunters, harnessing the power of numbers to overwhelm prey that is much larger than them. They will eat anything that runs away from impalas, zebras, wildebeests and small fry to giraffes and even young elephants.
It’s well-known that lionesses do most of the footwork when it comes to hunting, but male lions are no slouch in the stalking and killing department either. Males that have no pride are forced to fend for themselves and are adept at putting food in their paws on their own until advanced old age.
Looking for Lions
It follows that any time is a good time to see lions during your southern African safari. Guided day time drives will take you to their shady hideaways, while early morning and evening outings reveal them at their active best.
Get in touch with us to book some of the most exhilarating lion experiences on the continent when you check into one of our luxurious safari partners.
