Fourteen-year-old Morani recently took the title of oldest lion in the Maasai Mara—a national reserve home to lions, cheetahs, and zebras—after the passing of his brother and prior record holder, Scarface, earlier this year.
The amazing pictures were captured this month by professional wildlife photographer Leighton Lum, 33, while on a photography workshop in Kenya in East Africa.
“Just by looking at his face, you can tell this guy has been through a lot,” Lum, from Hawaii, said.
“He went from a young stud leader of a pride, a king, to a retired old man who still fights for survival in the Mara.
“Morani was a part of a coalition of four males and he’s the only one remaining out of the four.
“He is a lone male who has been pushed out of the pride by younger, stronger males which is a natural process in lions as the strongest males will control the pride.
“In general, adult male lions are lazy by nature and can sleep for 20 hours a day!
“We spotted him in the morning, then went back at the very end of the day only to find him no more than 15 feet from where we left him.
“Even when he does get up and sit down, it is a rather slow process.”
Friends Read Free