21st Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
Playful cubs in Mara Triangle

At sunrise I was looking for a pride of lions that I've been following for several years in Mara Triangle, the Inselberg males. I found 4 males eating two zebras in a valley and I stayed there with them like one hour. Some females were waiting the males to finsih their meal to get some meat. After that I decided to go towards a small stream down the valley further because I knew there were some cubs somewhere. And when i arrived the other sideat the top of the hill I saw a female with three cubs walking towards the place where the males were. I could follow them for about one kilometer and that when i took this photo. The three cubs were really happy and playful. The distance was a bit long for them but the big pride and the food were waiting for them.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 01.2023
Date Uploaded: 11.2023
Photo Location: Kenya
Copyright: © Nicolas Urlacher