Through the Eyes of a Lion

By Diana Ellis

It was the second week of a two-week Kenyan safari. We were in the Maasai Mara, the only game preserve in Kenya where you can actually drive off the road, right up to the wild life. We had already seen all the herd animals. The zebras, wildebeests, gazelles, and giraffes as well as elephants, hippos, crocodiles, baboons and even the elusive rhino. Now all we were interested in were the big cats, the lions.

In the South-East corner of Kenya and part of the Seringeti, the Maasai Mara is one of the best game reserves in East Africa. The 25,000 square kilometers (9,750 square miles) of vast plain, rolling hills and grasslands of the Serengeti-Mara Ecosystem is home a variety of animals including 450 species of birds from the tiny sunbird to the ostrich and the large birds of prey. The inner game reserve, established in 1961, is now a national park providing 518 square kilometers (202 square miles) filled with wild life and void of permanent human settlement. It is one of the few places where you can still the see the safari “big five” the elephants, rhinos, buffalo, leopards and of course the lions making it the most popular safari destination in Kenya.

Kitty Kitty. That is what we had been calling them for the last few days. There they were lying in the grass under the trees, three males and a female. Young adults, about three to five years old, likely brothers and sister, according to our guide, James. Lions do not reach maturity until about seven years.

Our landrover stopped beside them and I put my head through the sunroof. After I had taken a few photographs, I was drawn to one of the males. He lifted his head and looked directly into my eyes. At first, I was fascinated, staring into those beautiful amber eyes. Then I realized that there was intelligence behind them.

I could sense him appraising me.

Is she a threat? Probably not.
Is she edible? Probably.
Would she be an easy catch? Absolutely.
Would she put up much of a fight? Not a chance.

My fascination turned to fear. This was a predator, a vicious killer, not just a larger version of my house cat and he was considering eating me for lunch!

But would she be worth the effort? Nah

The king of beasts broke eye contact with me and resumed his nap.