What can I say but that he was magnificent. He must have had a real tussle for breeding rights to the female as he had a hell of a cut over his right eye. But in the end, he won out and we watched him breed her twice as wildebeest streamed by in the background, oblivious to the lion hi-jinx.

Well, he doesn't have the face of a 'young' lion!

The second picture almost looks like Don Trump. Must be the same stylist.

I did a similar trip to Manyara and Ngorongoro Crater in March. The Garden of Eden. I got lots of close ups of 2 big MGM lions, black rhino, and those Crater Buffalo are amazing.

Anyway I was surprised how important seeing these places has become to me. Originally I did it to get over jet lag before the mountain hunt.

For those interested in the future of East Africa wildlife I strongly recommend reading,

"Game Changer". It's about the enlightening of a liberal as to the future of wildlife in Africa. It explains how Kenya got where they are, hardly any wild animals, when it used to have so many. It also explains how other Countries are dealing with wildlife and the results of those decisions. What Richard Leakey had to say was right on point based on my experience on the African Continent. Good stuff for those of us forced to talk to intelligent anti-hunters.

quote:

Originally posted by Jas Madhavan:
The second picture almost looks like Don Trump. Must be the same stylist.

quote:

"Game Changer".

I will definitely grab it... I think hunting goes hand-in-hand with being a naturalist, and I too really enjoyed just being an observer with no pressure to do anything other than photograph.

Here is the full title: Game Changer animal rights and the fate of Africa's Wildlife. By Glen Martin

quote:

"Game Changer".

Just ordered.

FYI: Amazon has 20 copies in stock.

quote:

"Game Changer". It's about the enlightening of a liberal as to the future of wildlife in Africa. It explains how Kenya got where they are, hardly any wild animals, when it used to have so many. It also explains how other Countries are dealing with wildlife and the results of those decisions. What Richard Leakey had to say was right on point based on my experience on the African Continent. Good stuff for those of us forced to talk to intelligent anti-hunters.

SGOlds made an important statement about an excellent book that deserves a link and a detailed description. Here is where you can order it from Amazon. Unfortunately, there are no customer reviews yet but there are a few comments from some random editorial reviews. This book is just under $20 and is good ammo in a discussion with someone who is not a rabid ARF.



Game Changer

Are conservation and protecting animals the same thing? In Game Changer, award-winning environmental reporter Glen Martin takes a fresh look at this question as it applies to Africa's megafauna. Martin assesses the rising influence of the animal rights movement and finds that the policies championed by animal welfare groups could lead paradoxically to the elimination of the very species--including elephants and lions--that are the most cherished. In his anecdotal and highly engaging style, Martin takes readers to the heart of the conflict. He revisits the debate between conservationists, who believe that people whose lives are directly impacted by the creation of national parks and preserves should be compensated, versus those who believe that restrictive protection that forbids hunting is the most effective way to conserve wildlife and habitats. Focusing on the different approaches taken by Kenya, Tanzania, and Namibia, Martin vividly shows how the world's last great populations of wildlife have become the hostages in a fight between those who love animals and those who would save them.

thanks for the link. i just downloaded it to my Kindle and plan on reading it on the way to Namibia for my elephant hunt in 2 months

Great pics Russell. I am anxious to see more of them soon. Mozambique is almost here....

It is good to see that their are still some lion left in the Mara. The Masai have worked hard on killing them out.

Great photos, bwana!

That old boy's a stud, and that's for sure!

quote:

Originally posted by Jas Madhavan:
The second picture almost looks like Don Trump. Must be the same stylist.

Lol - agreed he's rocking a dodgy comb over