Pride of place

Just like domestic cats, lions are fussy. They like to be warm when it’s cold, and cool when it’s hot, and will go to great lengths to find the spots that suit them best. We were delighted to find the Nduna Split Pride near Simbiri Dam, with one of the lionesses lying on the warm rocks that overlooks the currently dry dam. She was in full shade at the time as the sun had only just begun sending out tendrils of light, but I knew that in a short while it would cast her in golden light and make a beautiful photograph.

The rest of the members had found their preferred spots – one lioness in a sandy nest in the middle of the track, and this cub on top of the dam wall.

In due course it became too hot and glary for them, so they slowly rose, stretched and went in search of a cooler place to spend the rest of the day.

We can all take a lesson from lions in stretching upon waking, before any form of exercise. They are the masters at it and it’s no wonder the arched back stretch we should do is called the "cat stretch”, although I suspect lions would be disdainful of the “downward dog” name although they are great proponents of this stretch too.

They set off, the males casting a few furtive glances around, although they were still full from a successful hunt, and then crossed the airstrip to go and settle in the shady area that surrounds a natural pan.