When night is falling, all the thirsty animals gather around one of the rare water points of the large dried out savannah. Peace seems to reign, but giraffes, zebras and gnus are not misled by this calm: they hasten their drinking before the arrival of the big cats, who sometimes take advantage of these large gatherings to hunt.

Cheetahs

Eating but avoiding being eaten, having a rest, but supervising at the same time its enemies or its preys, such are the essential conditions of survival in nature. It is what seems to express at the same time the nonchalant and attentive attitude of these Cheetahs of Serengeti.

When they are five years old, Lions already wear an abundant mane, whose colour goes from yellow to black; its length and its thickness vary according to areas they live: thus, lions which live in the mountains have a shorter and tidier mane than those beasts who are in the savannahs and steppes.

Lion

Lion

The Lion is not always the proud hunter that the authors so often describe. It is a rather lazy animal who leaves the lioness the task of capturing the preys, but who takes the best share when the moment of the feast arrives. When it is sated, it stays wide and drowses during hours, without being concerned by what occurs all around.

But the security within the territory depends on the number and the strength of the dominant males. Their abundant mane and their powerful howling are very effective means of dissuasion which are sometimes enough to avoid cruel confrontations. The females, feeling protected, can then raise their offspring and go out without fear.

Lion

Lioness and lion cub

Indeed, the role assigned to the females in the leonine society is very important because they are the ones who go out for all the tribe, raise the babies and to educate them.


A zebra, perhaps the weakest of the herd, or the less vigilant, fell under the claws of the lionesses. All the members of the tribe are now gathered for the feast. The remainders of the meal will soon attract the vultures, who will wipe out any trace of the small African horse.

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