By Mary Sellars (Northland College)
After seven weeks residing in the Botswana bush and being tempted and excited by lion roars as we fell asleep and massive lion tracks passing by camp, the anticipation of actually seeing a lion had been mounting. The exceptionally high grass this wet season has also not done us any favors. The prospect of finally getting a view of one of Africa’s most charismatic animals had been the topic of conversation between students over the past two weeks in concession NG-41. This is why, within minutes of arriving at the Khwai community campground and being alerted to the presence of a pair of male and female lions only 200 meters away from camp Kaggie, one of our leaders, quickly loaded us in the hilux to finally score us our first view of one of Africa’s most famed animals.
Resting under the shade of a small Kalahari Apple Lear were two exhausted big cats. Their figures were difficult to point out in the bed of tan grass. This duo of mating lions is referred to as a consort pair. We have learned over our time here that lions are exceptional animals to observe in the wild because of their social nature, which involves a distinct hierarchy. Lions are incredibly territorial and reside in prides that make up an average home range of 200 kilometers. A pride of lions can range from anywhere between 3 and 40 members, though lions usually arrange themselves in smaller groups that function independently within a pride. The lions we have lived alongside while in Khwai are part of an established pride of one male and three females. A pride’s range is defended from outsiders, often recently sexual-mature males in search of a mate. Sexual competition between lions is a huge determining factor in the species social organization as well as a possible factor in the extreme physical dimorphism between the sexes. (Male African lions sport a thick mane that varies in coloration from blonde to reddish-brown to black.)
The lions we have observed while in wildlife concession NG-19 are incredibly affectionate with each other, in one instance we observed two females cuddling and playing in the grass nearby camp. Lions are often very affectionate between littermate’s especially when they are part of an established pride. Lions are active primarily during the night and at dusk, which is why we’re instructed to shine our powerful flashlights into the abysmal bush when we get out of our tents early in the morning for transect drives.
The lion is the largest African carnivore weighing up to 260 kilograms and although it was the target of many hunters throughout the 19th and 20th century it is still the second most abundant large carnivore on the continent, behind the spotted hyena. We are all over the moon about finally getting to watch these incredible animals in the wild and hope we get more chances to!