My last holiday experience with my husband before he passed away was very exciting and one I will cherish forever.
We went to Pilanesberg National Park. I could not imagine a better holiday than spending it with all my loved ones (five children and my husband). The only bit of sadness was that my daughter, her husband and my grandchild who lived in Australia was not able to join us.
We spend our times in the evening’s playing cards and talking around the fire and enjoying one another’s company, listening to the animal sounds outside the camp and trying to identify which animal sound it is that we can hear. We decided to go for a game drive early the next morning.
I love lions and every time we go to the national park, I pray that I would have the privilege of seeing a lion. A lion is so majestic; they are without any doubt the King of the jungle. They look so proud and handsome.
We woke up early at 4:30 and drove into the game reserve at 5:00 when the gates opened. It was a beautiful sunny morning and after seeing elephants, rhinos, giraffes, springbuck, kudus, blue wildebeest and impala, we decided to go to a big waterhole.
Before we even reached the turn off to the waterhole, we could see a lot of vehicles standing from afar. We passed a vehicle coming from the waterhole and Gawie stopped them to ask what was going on. They told us that there were two lions around the waterhole. I felt the disappointment beating in my heart. Everyone will be watching the Lions, and they will disappear before I get to see them as there were probably about 50 cars waiting in a queue to look at them.
As we parked behind the last car, I could see the Lions in a distance walking next to the dam. We took a few photos, and then the lions moved away from the dam towards the veld. After about 5 minutes I became really excited as they were walking in our direction. I could not believe that my prayers were going to become true. They reached the road two cars ahead of us and then started walking down the road up to our vehicle. They passed in front of our vehicle, I was so excited and stopped taking photos, my heart was beating tremendously that I could see the King of The Jungle so close up.
Then the adrenalin started pumping even faster when one of the lions walked past the front of the vehicle turned and walked along the side of our vehicle so close that if I stretched out my arm I could have touched him. I could see the yellow eyes looking at me, probably thinking hmm breakfast! The purring of his breath felt like it vibrated into my soul. I saw the rippling muscles as he strutted by. The strength in those paws, each as big as my head, is quite amazing. He then turned around at the back of our vehicle and walked back to my window and then headed into the veld, where about 5m from our vehicle he again stood still, looked at us for about two minutes and then turned around and walked back to the dam.
A Slight breeze brushed through my hair and the early morning wind cooled my flushed face, only then I realized that my window was open, that I never closed it because I was too fascinated by the King of the Jungle.
Those cold, yellow eyes, that powerful purr, that magnificence which is Lion, will remain etched in my brain for eternity.
Interesting facts about Lions.
They are the most sociable of the cat species and bond together to protect the cubs of the pride and to hunt together. You can only find them in Africa and India. Their habitat are mostly savannah and grasslands, but some lions also like the bush and forest.
A pride of lions is normally not more than 15 and consists of related females, their cubs, and two to three males.
The female lions do the hunting, and they normally do it in groups stalking medium to large sized prey, examples are buffalo, wildebeest, zebra, and gemsbok.
The male lions then get to feast on their prey first while the cubs and the females look on. After the males have finished eating and are full, the cubs and females are allowed to eat the rest of the carcass.
They sleep during the day and are then busy at twilight and into the night hunting their prey. Lions are territorial. They mark their area with urine and by roaring. The sound of a roar can carry 8km far.
If you would like to know more, I have added a link to a wonderful site:
http://www.africa-wildlife-detective.com/african-lions.html
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Actually lions don't actually live in jungles or at least what we define as jungle nowadays. Lions mostly dwell in wide open grasslands.
Yes, you are correct Mundry. As you can see in Interesting Facts about Lions in my article, they mostly dwell in grasslands. It is easier to catch their prey in the grasslands.
Great things will happens when you get up nice share. it may inspire others like me and then the inspiration will motivate others too.that create chain and it can make a big steemit family.
Yes we need to keep on trying and never give up. Happiness and courage are contagious and does have an influence on other people. Thank you for your words of wisdom shaheer001.
Interesting post. I would so love experience the wild beast up close.
It was a marvellous experience one I will always cherish.
Majestic and Proud - love lions . Nice post
Thank you, yes Lions are very majestic and proud. I share your love for lions.
Great post wow ml lions are truely the king of the jungle
That is the truth ml thank you.
Wonderful post! Happiness will come again!
Thank you so much Travelista.
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