We saw a few dozen lions while we were in Kenya and Tanzania. These two lionesses were the first ones we saw.
They had killed a zebra before we came along. One had eaten until she was full and had then gone to sleep. The other was still eating. Although you can't see it in this photo, there was a lion cub hiding in the bushes behind them waiting until it was allowed to eat any leftovers.
Lions are not good about sharing food. When the lionesses in a pride kill something (they generally hunt cooperatively), the lion comes to their kill and eats his fill before allowing anybody (except maybe some very small cubs) to have anything to eat. Then the larger lionesses eat until they're done, and finally the weaker members of the pride, such as the older cubs, have a chance to eat anything that's left.
We primates are better at sharing food, and this is one of our most important adaptations. It became especially important once we began walking upright, which freed up our hands to carry food back to other members of our group, who might be ill or caring for newborns or just doing some other kind of work that would benefit the group. (Division of labor gives people a chance to hone their skills, which makes them more productive.)
Lionesses lunching
Ngorongoro Crater
(Click on any image to enlarge it)
A few days later, we encountered a large pride on the move in the Serengeti.
Notice how beautifully camouflaged they are. How many can you spot in this photo? (Click on the photo to make it larger for easier counting.)
We counted 18 animals in the pride, including at least 9 babies (not all of them are in the photo). There was one male in addition to the eight adult females. The pride marched along intently, going somewhere and ignoring all of the people in vans. As they went along, the babies jumped on their mothers' backs playfully or tussled with one another.
Toward the end of our time watching them, they came right beside our car. One very large lioness met my eyes as she passed just inches away. I'll have to admit that I think the expression on her face was one of disdain (or perhaps just annoyance that we were in their way), but I'll never forget the encounter.
Lion pride on the move
Serengeti
The next day we came upon the same pride, but this time they were resting (which lions do about 20 hours every day).
Resting Pride
Serengeti
The lion was sleeping about 50 feet away from the lionesses and their cubs.
Sleeping Lion
Serengeti
I think he just wanted to be away from the boisterous cubs, like this one playing with a stick.
Playful cub
Serengeti
Some of the cubs were too sleepy to play.
Sleepy cub
Serengeti
Some of the lionesses slept, while others suckled their cubs. We were so near the pride that we could hear the cubs mewing as they climbed over one another looking for a place to nurse.
Cubs nursing
Serengeti
Other lionesses stayed alert to guard against any dangers to the pride and its cubs.
(The bird in the water behind the lionesses is called a Stilt, for obvious reasons.)
You might think that there aren't many things that could hurt a lion cub, but there actually are. The adults have to be very careful to look about for poisonous snakes, because the cubs are so curious that they might want to play with them. If a venomous snake is spotted, the adults each grab a cub by the scruff of its neck so that they can carry them away to a safer place. The cubs know instinctively that when they are picked up like that they must be quiet and not struggle to get down.
Another danger for the lion cubs is elephants. Because lions hunt baby elephants to kill and eat, it makes sense for adult elephants to try to stamp out lions altogether and kill as many baby lions as they can. We didn't see that happening, however, because the lionesses know to keep their babies away from elephants if at all possible.
Lionesses and Stilt
Serengeti
