Fair of Face

Ok, so this photo may or may not have been taken over a year ago. In my defence: #TBT. Or #TBM. Whatever.

Still, this remains one of my most treasured moments from our trip to Kenya.

Clichéd as it may sound – we were about to turn back, on our very, very last safari, when someone said, “Hey, isn’t that a lion ahead?” Person B, after examining through binos: “I don’t think you’re lion.”

(I paraphrase. Punning opportunities on the African savannah are so few and far between.)

And it turned out to be not one lion, but none – rather, instead, a lioness and her two cubs. Who were, in short, adorable. Here a picture speaks far more than words. (Other than: LOOK AT THAT FLUFF. AND THAT ADORABLE LITTLE FACE.)

They were members of the Marsh Pride, or in the cubs’ case, potential members – infanticide is common amongst usurping males lions. The Marsh Pride is undoubtedly one of the most famous of the Mara, due to its phenomenally large pride sizes and similarly phenomenally location of – you guessed it, a marsh. Aren’t wildlife documentary-makers creative?

But the merits of movie-makers aside, the cubs were a scene straight from the Lion King, minus the stampeding wildebeest, crazed baboon, talking vultures, Elton John ballads, and pretty much everything except the actual lion cubs.

And we considered ourselves extremely lucky to have witnessed it.

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