In September 2023 we were fortunate to return to “the Hide” safari camp in the Hwange National Forest, Zimbabwe. After settling into the camp we began our daily routine of rising at 5:30am, quick coffee, and then into the jeeps for the game drive. September is toward the end of the dry season in Zimbabwe so the animals are not far from the remaining water holes called “pans”.
Early in the morning the temperature is still comfortably in the seventies (F) and the lions are beginning to wake and move about before the mid-day heat which sometimes reached over 100 degrees. We found a pride of two females, one large male and three cubs. While watching these magnificent animals I was struck by the playfulness of the cubs and the patient affection of the adults. We were sitting in our jeep less than 20 yards from this group. As the male lion lay down to rest, a cub decided it was time to “wake up dad” causing dad to put on his “don’t mess with me” face - no harm was intended. Mom was also contending with a quarrelsome child while the third cub decided to pose for me next to a dead tree trunk.
