Lions in Kenya I
Mar 22, 2018 11:35:38 #
Driving along in the Masai Mara we happened upon a solitary gentleman having a rest and then upon this beautiful couple taking a nap under a tree. He lifted his head first to see what was happening, then she sat up. We could see blood on his front facial fur, so we knew they had recently fed. She wandered off and he sat up for a photo shoot. There was a piece of grass in his mane and it was all I could do to keep myself from jumping out of the jeep to run over and remove it from my otherwise perfect shot! A little later we encountered this gorgeous young male all by himself on this wide expanse of savannah. He had just been exiled from the pride in which he was raised as he was no longer a youth... as proven by his new sprouting mane. This is natures way of keeping him from mating with his siblings.
Mar 22, 2018 11:46:21 #
Outstanding shots! Thanks for posting. You were very fortunate to get some great pics of mature male lions. During my trip to Kenya last summer, I got some good shots of several females, young male lions and cubs. However, the mature males were asleep in the tall grass out of view.
Mar 22, 2018 12:02:23 #
Mar 22, 2018 13:05:01 #
The Lioness is taking your scent. There's an organ just behind the upper teeth of Cats that they use to bring air across and take a potential prey's scent. Called the Jacobson Organ.
Mar 22, 2018 13:40:16 #
jdub82 wrote:
Outstanding shots! Thanks for posting. You were very fortunate to get some great pics of mature male lions. During my trip to Kenya last summer, I got some good shots of several females, young male lions and cubs. However, the mature males were asleep in the tall grass out of view.
You are correct, we ran into a number of lounging males...and some females on the prowl, too which I will share in my next post.
Mar 22, 2018 18:40:02 #
jdub82 wrote:
Outstanding shots! Thanks for posting. You were very fortunate to get some great pics of mature male lions. During my trip to Kenya last summer, I got some good shots of several females, young male lions and cubs. However, the mature males were asleep in the tall grass out of view.
Mid-day naps are not to be taken lightly. Lions have more sense than many humans.
Mar 22, 2018 19:17:05 #
Mar 23, 2018 01:17:00 #
patrick43
Loc: Los Lunas,NM
Glad you overcame the urge to remove the piece of grass! We might not have seen these beautiful pictures.
Mar 23, 2018 01:48:06 #
Thank you all for your kind comments. It is so much fun to share photos of these magnificent creatures. I did not know about the Jacobson Organ and in retrospect, am grateful we did not smell like lunch as we were quite close to these “kitties.”
Mar 23, 2018 06:25:12 #
Mar 23, 2018 08:20:38 #
The process is called flehming. Humans used to do it. We maintain a vestigial cavity for the vomerosonal organ, AKA Jacobson Organ, but the equipment is gone. Nonetheless, I suggest guys still go through the motions. Ever notice yourself or others take a long, deliberate “sniff” while within the scent wake of an attractive opposite sex? Lots of information in that aroma. Taste, smell, food and language and society are all tangled up together in very interesting ways. Thanks for sharing fotofinish!
rgrenaderphoto wrote:
The Lioness is taking your scent. There's an organ just behind the upper teeth of Cats that they use to bring air across and take a potential prey's scent. Called the Jacobson Organ.
Mar 23, 2018 08:33:03 #
Mar 23, 2018 09:07:18 #
Mar 23, 2018 09:53:03 #
Mar 23, 2018 10:07:50 #
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