A couple of days ago the pride of Lions was tracked and spotted in a dry river bed. We have had quite a bit of rain, and most of it has now disappeared with the warm weather. This is perfect for Lions and other cats to have a nap in. The sand is cool and the shade plentiful. As you can see in the photographs these cats were doing what they do best, which is sleeping. Lions will sleep for around 18 hours of the day (shocking!) 
The pride was completely relaxed and just taking in the afternoon sun, most probably secretly planning their strategy for the evenings hunt. Within a pride of Lion the females will do most of the hunting. The male will then feed first, with the cubs closely following behind – lastly the females will have a turn at the feast, despite doing most of the work.
The Male lion is mainly there to protect his pride of females and young, also to fend off rival males. A male lion can weigh between 325 and 470 lbs and the biggest ever recorded lion weighed nearly a whopping 700 pounds! The average lifespan of a Lion in the wild is roughly about 13 years. A lion’s eyesight is five times better than that of a human being. Lions in Africa have a very distinctive roar which can be heard from up to five miles away. The roar is to make itself known in the area and to communicate with the rest of the pride. The roar can also warn rival males that this is my territory.
It is always a special moment when you come face to face with these magnificent creatures! And it makes one feel rather small and helpless if you experience the sheer size of these beasts from an open safari vehicle.