Seeing a Lion for the first time in the Wild

It was 9 in the morning as we hit the Doispane road in Kruger. Entering through the Numbi gate, we branched out from the Pretoriuskop Sukuza Rd, onto one of the gravel roads. We had a roadblock during this drive when an Elephant, a young bull in musth, was in his elements and almost gave a momentary charge to one of the vehicles. Fortunately for us, we were following the giant from a great distance and happened to be on the other side of his wrath. A story I will narrate some other day!!

On the Doispane road, we came to yet another halting. Approximately 25 vehicles had lined up, and as is the case when one approaches a traffic congestion, we were probably the 26th in line. This situation, when you are driving in a wildlife protected area, is most often than not a good news as it means animal activity. Almost certain of the presence of a large animal around(causing so many vehicles to halt in their tracks), my energies were now focused on trying to figure out what animal was it before catching its sight, if we were to get one!!

Moments passed and then came the most terrifying vocalization one can hear in an African jungle, a Lion roar!!!

It took us around 10-15 minutes of figuring out, to exactly pin point the source of this roar and when we did find him eventually, ahaa.....it was poetry!!!

He sat there submerged in the dense grass very unlikely Kruger, thanks to the rains, as if making a statement, proclaiming his dominance and telling the world who is the Boss here!!!

A sight I will savior for my entire life....after all one doesn't a Transvaal Lion, a big Male in his prime, for the first time, often!!

A Black Maned Lion, in prefect condition.....your first lion sighting in the wild doesn't get any better!