In an incredible photo, a 500-pound male lion is seen standing atop a hill of carcass bones as he measured the landscape with the golden-hued sun that rose behind him.
In another photo, Mail Online reported, a lioness and fellow male are seen joining the bone hill king while they sniffed around the carcasses in the quest for any leftover scraps of meat.
This striking image was captured by Simon Needham, a 52-year-old photographer from Leeds, United Kingdom, while he was visiting the GG Conservation Wildlife Reserve and Lion Sanctuary, south of Johannesburg in South Africa.
As described in this report, Simon stood only 30 feet away as he captured photos through his Canon 1DX Mark II camera.
Lucky to Capture the Creature
A similar The Washington Times report said, according to Needham, he had been invited by GG Conservation to produce some content for their marketing initiatives.
At their site, the photographer continued, they have a boneyard where all animal cadavers are taken once the lion has finished eating.
One morning, said the 52-year-old, he decided to hang there and was fortunate enough to capture one huge male lion as he stood atop the bone hill, overlooking his land.
The 500-pound male lion only stood there for about a minute or so; the photographer shared, adding, he was lucky enough, though, to capture a few shots before he moved on.
Seeing the Proud 'Lion King' Surveying His Land
That moment, the photographer said, was an exciting one, something he explained he could have only dreamed of before he got there that morning.
He elaborated, he sees people interpreting the photograph in many ways, although he sees it as the "proud lion king" like the one in the movie as shown on the YouTube video below, surveying his land.
Lions are included to hunt medium-sized victims, which include antelope, zebras, and wildebeest. These animals are voracious eaters. More so, the Daily UK News specified that a male lion could eat up to 15 percent of its body weight. On an average day, a male lion is eating roughly 15 pounds of food.
Other Important Facts About Lions
The information posted on the PBS site indicates lions are known for having muscular, deep-chested bodies. They are characterized by short, rounded heads, hairy tufts at the end of their tails, and round ears.
Their appearance is different from that of other huge cats like leopards, jaguars, and tigers. Remarkably, male lions have a mane of hair around their neck.
The color, size, and abundance of the mane are dependent on the individual and their age. In addition, the mane not just helps the lion look more impressive but more intimidating to males, as well.
Furthermore, this report said, the mane of the lion also protects its neck during a battle, usually with other males "over territory and breeding rights."
Essentially, lions are carnivores. Animal experts describe them as "apex predators," which means they are at the top of the food chain without natural predators.
These so-called "beasts" hunt animals in their surrounding habitat, which usually includes antelopes, as well as other hoofed animals.
They may hunt elephants, rodents, rhinos, insects, reptiles, and even crocodiles. They are scavenging or stealing prey from leopards, hyenas, cheetahs, or wild dogs, as well.
Lastly, lions typically hunt during the night, at dusk or dawn. Lionesses or female lions, on the other hand, frequently do much of the hunting. And when hunting victim, a lion can run a football field's length in six seconds.
RELATED ARTICLE : Endangered Philippine Monkey-Eating Eagle Hatches Chick in Captivity
Check out more news and information on Animals in Science Times.
