Photo. A male lion emerged on our way in Kruger National Park in South Africa. © Travel Explorations.
Suddenly a massive male lion, alone, emerged on our way – he just stood there like a king inspecting his kingdom. His mane rippled in the breeze, thick and dark, and his eyes looked onto ours with a look that said, I don’t move for anyone. He was silent. So were we. He stared. We stared.
I wonder if he was hungry. My heart thudded like a warning drum. Kept my breath. Then, with the slow grace of something that fears nothing, he walked right past us - so close. And just like that, he disappeared into the bush. Then I felt so relieved – started to breath normal again.
Kruger is home to around 1,600 lions, one of the largest free-roaming populations in Africa. They are on top of the food chain, hunting animals like zebra, buffalo, wildebeest, and even giraffe. Lions live in prides of up to 15 members, usually made up of related females, their cubs, and 1–3 dominant males. In many prides, lionesses do most of the hunting, while males focus on defending the territory and pride.
A lion’s roar can be heard up to 8 kilometres (5 miles) away - it’s how they communicate and mark territory. A male lion’s territory can span up to 250 km², and they’ll fight rival males to the death to defend it.
This was it - my instincts wake up in a way no city ever could. It`s fortunately not everyday you meet a lion like this. And just for sure: it`s totally different than observering a lion on a close range in a zoo.
Stein Morten Lund, May 2025
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