Day 11 - Lion Kill

  Namuton, Namibia
Wednesday, August 24, 2005

It's not everyday that one chooses to sleep in a fenced in enclosure topped with barbed wire, but this was such the case curing our time here in Etosha. They claim it keeps the scavengers out, but I think it was also meant to keep the tourists in. Without a doubt the "Bright-Eyed Walking Tripod" is a careless creature. I could easily imagine it blindly walking and clicking away from camp's safety into, say, the middle of a pack of lions. Yes, perhaps a bit of separation was a good thing.

And so it was, after a full night of rest, that I awoke ever so eager to continue onwards through Etosha. The same could be said for my camera. With a freshly formatted memory card and a recently recharged set of batteries, we made a formable team prepared to compete against any National Geographic photographer. It was going to be another great day - I could just tell.

Our drive this morning took us into the dry pan region that originally gave Etosha its name. Nothing like a barren wasteland to get the creative juices flowing.



With continued excitement there were more animal-cluttered watering holes to visit and even an occasional elephant crossing to observe. All still worth a photo or two. But as the day lingered on, and we had seen our thousandth zebra and springbok, all were getting a bit anxious to see at least one of the two animals that remained - the ever-elusive lion and its impossible to spot cousin, the leopard.

And just then, as hopes were fading away with the setting sun, a glorious stroke of luck hit us. Not more than five minutes away from camp, an oncoming truck directed us to stop. In a rushed voice the driver quickly explained that a fresh lion kill was just two turns down the road and if we hurried we might be able to pass the pack of lions heading there themselves. WOW - we couldn't believe our good fortune!

Within minutes we had taken the last turn and had spotted the small group of vehicles already there. Everyone was on their feet in eager anticipation. And yep, not more a few meters from our side was a huge pack of lions walking in the same direction! Insane! After a quick flurry of photos, we raced ahead of the pack to the King and his kill. What a blood pulsing moment! Jaws dropped. Eyes slammed opened. Hair rose with excitement. And of course, the cameras were busily at work.





I gave up on still photos for most of our time there and concentrated on video. Technology is a godsend at times! Check out this sweet video of the pack racing in for dinner.

Video of Lions Approaching a Kill

For me, this was the climax of Etosha, and perhaps, our entire trip through Africa. I will take the moment with me forever.