It was early afternoon when we stopped at a pull-out overlooking a river to take a closer look at some birds. Suddenly a group of Kudu’s, which are very large antelopes, came crashing through the underbrush and galloped past our car and down the embankment to the river. Behind them appeared the reason for their panic: a young male lion.
The lion limped towards the edge of the embankment and stood, looking after the vanishing Kudu’s. He was emaciated and his coat looked unkempt. His left front paw appeared to be injured. Without paying any attention to us, he lowered himself to the ground, obviously exhausted.
As he lay there, we wondered at the story behind this. Why was he alone? Had he been banished from his pride because of his injury? Would he survive the season?
In the wild, all life hangs in a delicate balance. A young lion without the protection of his pride is doomed. So many hidden stories in a place like Kruger. Sometimes we can witness small parts of them and wonder.
