21st Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
Play-boxing Lions

Lions are very social animals, which often play fight with each other. This helps hone fighting and hunting skills but also strengthens the bonds between them. Here two lionesses have reared up on their hind legs to box each other with their front paws. Fear of being blinded means that they box with their eyes shut. Habitat loss and poaching continue to threaten these incredible cats, which are now classified as a vulnerable species. This photograph was taken in June of 2023 in Nyerere National Park, Tanzania.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 06.2023
Date Uploaded: 11.2023
Photo Location: Kwa Mhinda, Tanzania
Camera: Canon EOS R3
Copyright: © Nathan Myhrvold