This is not a day to day TR, all stories are based on sightings during our last trip from november 26th 2011 till december 14th 2011.
Story 16 – All in the LION Family….
I promised you to come up with more cubs and I like to do what I promised.
So another story and this time just about a wonderful Lion family.
We were staying in Satara and this day we decided to go south for a breakfast in Crocodile Bridge. So we woke up very early and left Satara , following the main road south, going left after Tshokwane and over the hills down to Lower Sabie.
On the H10 … what a nice road it is for us… we spotted a male Lion, still a bit sleepy, laying down in the grass.
Seeing a male lion is always great but at the same time you look around if there are more lions nearby.
But first… the Male as we found him
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![Image](http://www.awv-photography.com/zaf2011/zaw5263.jpg)
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Just a few minutes later some noice ….. produced by lady lioness
Coming from out of nothing she suddenly was there with a very friendly look at her face… Ei
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![Image](http://www.awv-photography.com/zaf2011/zaw5260.jpg)
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It was just 05:30 in the morning… and what a start of the day…
A couple in love but not too much activity between the two lions….
Was there a reason ?
![Dunno -O-](./images/smilies/icon_nixweiss.gif)
Yes there was a very good reason, two lovely cubs appeared after mother’s calling
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![Image](http://www.awv-photography.com/zaf2011/zaw5259.jpg)
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Mhhhh believe me…you feel happy with a morning view breakfast with a male lion and lioness and our eye vitamines were even more filled after looking at these two cubs.
Buttttt….. it is not over yet… eyes to the left by a movement and look what was sitting there..
Yes, cub number 3
![Whistle O**](./images/smilies/bwhistle.gif)
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![Image](http://www.awv-photography.com/zaf2011/zaw5269.jpg)
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Cubs are always hungry and moms had to go down for her babies
Wowww… we were just saying to each other … a trip with many lions and more specific many cubs… and I hear you thinking..”never enough cubs to look at”
So I love to share these pictures with you , specially for the mothers :D :D
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![Image](http://www.awv-photography.com/zaf2011/zaw5274.jpg)
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Mmmm… 3 cubs drinking with mom. Looking at it I realized we haven’t seen such a scene that many times so it was a great moment.
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![Image](http://www.awv-photography.com/zaf2011/zaw5275.jpg)
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You never get enough of this isn’t it ? , so a bit more closer
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![Image](http://www.awv-photography.com/zaf2011/zaw5276.jpg)
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And then this weird thing… thinking we were looking at her and the cubs all the time and thinking we counted 3 cubs…. Moms got on her feet and moved on forward, followed by the kids…then we produced some kind of HUHHHHHHHHHHH???? And at the same time we said “there are 4 cubs” !!
![Dance O/\](./images/smilies/dance3.gif)
![Dance O/\](./images/smilies/dance3.gif)
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![Image](http://www.awv-photography.com/zaf2011/zaw5277.jpg)
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Really we were so surprised about this, but a very very nice surprise, well, you can imagine
Back to daddy …what was he doing… well Daddy was still laying down, leaving all the care to Moms but a proud look at his face…. You could see him thinking, 3 days of making love and 4 children… not baddy for daddy
![Cheers X#X](./images/smilies/icon_prost.gif)
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![Image](http://www.awv-photography.com/zaf2011/zaw5340.jpg)
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From that moment off the Cubs-Show started. You remember in one of the previous story with two cubs I got the feeling we were maybe one of the first humans in their life.. well, I got this same feeling here. The way they were looking at us , so curious , big eyes and so , so lovely
Let’s start the show
![Whistle O**](./images/smilies/bwhistle.gif)
![Whistle O**](./images/smilies/bwhistle.gif)
All 4 coming a bit closer…a bit hesitating
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![Image](http://www.awv-photography.com/zaf2011/zaw5279.jpg)
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and
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![Image](http://www.awv-photography.com/zaf2011/zaw5280.jpg)
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Could not resist to make a close up of one of these cuties…not so easy, it was very early and the light was not that good
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![Image](http://www.awv-photography.com/zaf2011/zaw5282.jpg)
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4 brothers and sisters , all together now…all together now
![Dance O/\](./images/smilies/dance3.gif)
![Dance O/\](./images/smilies/dance3.gif)
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![Image](http://www.awv-photography.com/zaf2011/zaw5295.jpg)
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Keeping them all 4 together ? try with little children… no way, but 3 is not really bad
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![Image](http://www.awv-photography.com/zaf2011/zaw5298.jpg)
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With some luck… all 4 again
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![Image](http://www.awv-photography.com/zaf2011/zaw5297.jpg)
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and so cute… so nice sitting down and just being a little bit curious… Ei
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![Image](http://www.awv-photography.com/zaf2011/zaw5290.jpg)
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4 cubs, 4 individuals, some laying down and sure at least one too curious and coming closer and closer
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![Image](http://www.awv-photography.com/zaf2011/zaw5306.jpg)
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In the mean time lady and mother was looking proudly at her kids… with a look like “it’s OK”
![2thumbsup \O](./images/smilies/icon_2thumbs.gif)
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![Image](http://www.awv-photography.com/zaf2011/zaw5308.jpg)
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So close and so cute asking for another picture
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![Image](http://www.awv-photography.com/zaf2011/zaw5310.jpg)
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Moms was getting on her feet and decided “come on kids, come with me”
![Clap ^Q^](./images/smilies/applause7.gif)
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![Image](http://www.awv-photography.com/zaf2011/zaw5316.jpg)
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and like all children do, they listen to moms !! -O
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![Image](http://www.awv-photography.com/zaf2011/zaw5318.jpg)
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and
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![Image](http://www.awv-photography.com/zaf2011/zaw5320.jpg)
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and Daddy ? He did not move , still laying down and saying “Life id good”
![Cheers X#X](./images/smilies/icon_prost.gif)
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![Image](http://www.awv-photography.com/zaf2011/zaw5348.jpg)
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Like always I hope you liked this story too.
Another story soon…..think so, with unexpected species maybe ???
Aat & Elly
Many other pictures of last en other trips:
My Wildlife Photography Site
http://www.awv-photography.com