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They Find A Giant Lion, The Vet Is Speechless When He Sees The Ultrasound

April 30, 2024

Imagine you’re winding down a typical day monitoring the vast, open savannah. Suddenly, something extraordinary catches your eye—a sight so unbelievable it could easily be mistaken for a trick of the mind. That was the reality for George, a safari ranger, who spotted what he initially doubted was real: an enormous lion, clearly in distress, and not just any lion, but the alpha male of his group.

A Huge Discovery on the Safari

Safari rangers like George are the unsung heroes who ensure the safety of the majestic creatures inhabiting these wild spaces. The job demands immense patience and vigilance, often under challenging conditions due to the persistent threat of poachers. On this particular day, as George’s shift was nearing its end, he noticed an unusual shape in the distance. As he approached, the shape grew clearer, and the giant lion came into view.

The Ultrasound Reveals a Startling Surprise

Concerned for the lion’s health, George quickly called his fellow ranger, Mark, and they contacted a local veterinarian. When the vet arrived and saw the condition of the lion, he knew immediately that an ultrasound was necessary. The results were shocking: inside the lion’s stomach was a massive, undigested lump of meat causing a severe bulge. Even more alarming, embedded within the meat was an electronic chip used by poachers to track the animal—a sinister method to evade safari guards.

Immediate Action and Successful Surgery

Realizing the gravity of the situation, the veterinarian acted swiftly, deciding that surgery was imperative to remove the obstruction and save the lion’s life. The operation was not only a success but also unveiled the extent of the poachers’ reach within the reserve.

Law Enforcement Steps In

The presence of the electronic device led to immediate action from local authorities. They interrogated the medical team and the rangers before launching a thorough search that ultimately led to the apprehension of the poachers involved. This operation not only saved the alpha lion but also disrupted a significant poaching ring.

A Happy Ending for the Alpha Lion

Thanks to the quick thinking and bravery of the rangers and the skill of the veterinary team, the lion recovered remarkably well. He was soon able to return to his habitat in the savannah, healthier and safer. The veterinarian expressed deep gratitude for the rangers’ courage and dedication, acknowledging that without their commitment, the lion’s fate could have been very different.

In the wild world of safari life, where every day brings new challenges, the dedication of rangers and veterinarians continues to be a beacon of hope for wildlife conservation. Their efforts not only save individual animals but also help maintain the balance of these delicate ecosystems .

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Terrifying moment ranger comes face to face with lion in South African game reserve

THIS safari ranger got the fright of his life when he stumbled upon a lion as he relaxed in the afternoon sun.

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THIS unsuspecting safari ranger got the fright of his life after coming face-to-face with a lion as he relaxed in the afternoon sun.

Unarmed Eric Ubisi froze as the big cat strolled right past him as he sat in a seat mounted to his safari jeep, parked up in the Manyeleti Game Reserve in Tintswalo, South Africa.

He can be seen tensely clutching his chair as he locks eyes with the wild beast, which stops and glances up at his terrified face.

Eric was with fellow rangers David Jacobs and Anton van Loggerenberg during the hair-raising moment on Monday, who managed to capture the moment perfectly, confident he wouldn’t come to any harm.

David said: “We were out on a game drive with our guest when we spotted three young male lions on Buffalo planes.

“We positioned our vehicle in a way that offered our guest optimal viewing, when the lions all stood up and approached the vehicle.

“One lay down behind the vehicle and the other one moved towards the front and briefly stopped and looked at Eric, so I was unable to back away.”

The game-rich Manyeleti Game Reserve offers some of the best wildlife viewing opportunities in the world.

But Eric’s encounter with one of the park’s Mbiri lions looks a little too close for comfort - although he later claimed he knew he was in no real danger.

He said: “I enjoyed it and knew he the lion was going to walk past without harming me.

“I knew the lion was relaxed and I have been watching him every day since he was a cub and know his behaviour.

“They are our resident pride.”

The Tintswalo Safari Lodge said it adheres to the strictest safety measures and precautions, and the highly experienced staff knew that in this position, the best thing to do was to stay still.

David added: “I asked Eric if he was comfortable and he said he was fine.

“I observed no aggressive behaviour from the lions.

“It was a very brief encounter and after a few minutes, the lion walked off and lay down about ten metres away.”

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Animals ruled the crowd at early Kings Island

Lions and tigers and baboons, oh my!

In the early years of Kings Island, visitors could see more than 300 animals at the old Lion Country Safari – and sometimes hear about them roaming Warren County after their escape from the 100-acre wildlife preserve.

The attraction opened in 1974, the park's third year, on space used today for Flight of Fear, Firehawk and the new Banshee (where the Son of Beast also once stood).

In 20 years, more than 15 million visitors rode the 2-mile monorail through the animal preserve, which also was named Wild Animal Safari and Wild Animal Habitat before it closed in 1993, said Don Helbig, Kings Island public relations manager.

"It was amazing. Most of the time, quite a large percentage of the daily park attendance would ride the monorail," said Bob Reece, the wildlife exhibit director 1977-92.

The monorail entrance was to the right of the current Drop Tower. Taft Broadcasting, which built Kings Island, also opened a similar attraction at the sister Kings Dominion park near Richmond, Va.

More than 25 lions were brought in for the 1974 opening by Lion Country Safari, a third-party vendor with animal parks near West Palm Beach and Atlanta. Visitors also saw tigers, rhinos, elephants, hippos, giraffes, monkeys, ostriches, zebras, baboons, leopards and other animals from around the world.

More than a few wandered off. Less than three months after the opening, a 2-year-old female lion escaped. She was found dehydrated in heavy underbrush.

Two years later, 50 baboons escaped over the two fences to the embarrassment of Taft Broadcasting executives. The baboons leaped to freedom jumping on the backs of fellow baboons huddled at the base of the fence. It took a week to round them up – and then they escaped again.

"We had 50 mean baboons roaming Warren County," said Charlie Mechem, former Taft Broadcasting chairman, in an interview last year. "It was a classic story of a company that thought it knew what it was doing – and they literally made monkeys out of us."

That baboon incident – and a lion fatally mauling a Lion Country Safari ranger who got out of his jeep for an unknown reason inside the habitat in 1976 – persuaded Taft executives to take over day-to-day management.

Under Reece, security was improved with new electronic gates while reducing the animal population, which was nearing 400. Kings Island also began charging monorail riders – first a quarter, and eventually $1 – to reduce crowds on the ride.

"At the time, everything in the park was no charge. We put on a nominal fee to slow down the crowd a little bit," said Reece, 72, of Boynton Beach, Fla.

Sustaining the sensitive electrical connections along the monorail track also posed problems. Animals "would get close to the track, or jump the track. Sometimes they would kick up mud on it, or it would get flooded. We had a lot of down time. It was a real thorn to us," Reece said.

Reece helped form the Cincinnati Wildlife Research Federation partnership with Kings Island, the Cincinnati Zoo and University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. Kings Island staffers also were part of the Center for Reproduction of Endangered Wildlife (CREW) effort by the zoo's Dr. Betsy Dresser to save endangered bongos in Kenya in the early 1990s.

About that time, park officials were discussing closing the $2 million animal attraction to add rides as Kings Island's annual attendance continued to swell.

"The park was getting filled (with visitors). Wild Animal Habitat was the prime area to go into to provide more space for rides," Reece said.

In 1993, a year after Reece left, Kings Island closed Wild Animal Habit.

The animals ended up back with Reece at his next job, managing a 14-square-mile animal preserve called the Wilds southeast of Zanesville. Kings Island and Kings Dominion animals were donated in 1994 to what was then North America's largest wild animal complex.

Why get rid of an attraction that drew 15 million visitors? Because its "life cycle" had expired, Mechem said.

"A roller coaster goes forever. If someone comes back to the park, as zillions do every year, they're going to ride the roller coaster 10 times. But they're probably not going to ride Lion Country Safari more than twice, at most. It just kind of ran out of steam, as most of them have," Mechem said.

The monorail

From the safari to a jungle, the old Lion Country Safari monorail marks the entrances to Jungle Jim's International Markets in Fairfield and near Eastgate Mall in Clermont County.

Owner "Jungle Jim" Bonaminio bought seven cars for $1 from Kings Island in the late 1990s. After 15 years, the train shuttles people several hundred yards from his second-floor Oscar Event Center in Fairfield to a station on the south edge of the parking lot during festivals and receptions, said his son, Jimmy, creative services department manager.

His father's dream was to have the monorail loop around the 58 acres on Ohio 4 in Fairfield, with a stop at a never-built hotel, or be extended one block north to Tom Raper RVs, according to Enquirer stories.

"We've not given up on it, but with the new store, we've got a lot going on," his son said.

John Kiesewetter

ABOUT KEVIN RICHARDSON

Kevin was born on the 8th October 1974 in Johannesburg, South Africa. He spent his childhood in the suburb of Orange Grove, far from the African bushveld he would grow to love.  At around the age of four, his love of animals manifested itself with the rescue of a baby bird he helped raise with his father. He soon became known locally as ‘The Bird Man of Orange Grove’ and began to take in many more waifs and strays.

As Kevin grew up, he planned to follow a career with animals and set his sights on veterinary science. However during his teens his focus was far from his studies and the young rebel was not accepted onto the course. He shifted his focus to zoology, before finally completing his BSc majoring in anatomy and physiology.

In 1998 he was given the chance to work with two lion cubs, “Tau” and “Napoleon”, at a local lion park.  Here he honed his abilities and unique skills to work with lions in a hands-on, interactive manner challenging many misconceptions, and was soon dubbed ‘The Lion Whisperer’ due to his extraordinary personal relationships with these lions.

Although he started his career at a lion park that allowed cub-petting for tourists, he began to understand the pitfalls of this industry, and never felt comfortable with the answers he had been given as to what ultimately happened to the lion cubs once they grew up. Like many of these parks in South Africa, once cubs grow too big to pet, most potentially end up supplying the controversial ‘canned lion hunting’ industry.

Towards the end of 2011 Kevin severed all ties with his partner and moved all of the animals in his care to a new facility on the south east boundary of the newly formed Dinokeng Big 5 Game Reserve in Pretoria, South Africa. Here he implements a no-breeding policy of lion cubs and has aligned his fight against ‘canned lion hunting’ with the Campaign Against Canned Hunting (CACH) and various other organisations.

His television work has been screened across multiple platforms worldwide.  More recent examples include ‘The Lion Whisperer’ (France 2 – one of the channels most highly-rated natural history shows); ‘The Lion Ranger’ series for National Geographic Wild; ‘Lions on The Move’ (multiple channels); ‘Lions, The New Endangered Species’ (GoPro – over 37 million views);  ‘Lion Whisperer’ (60 minutes USA – CBS –  highest rating in two years with over 18.5 million Americans watching) highlighting the plight of dwindling wild lion populations and the horrors associated with cub-petting and the ‘canned lion hunting’ industry. In June 2014 he launched his own YouTube channel: Lion Whisperer TV, introducing the world to his lions and work on a daily basis which has garnered over 1,720,000 subscribers and continues to reach new audiences.

In March 2015 ‘Killer IQ: Lion v Hyenas’, featuring Kevin and his animals, premiered on the Smithsonian Channel and featured in the channel’s respected magazine plus other channels globally.  Working with the world’s leading experts, this ground-breaking two-part series explored the cognitive behaviour of lions and hyenas. Kevin also provided unlimited access to the sanctuary for Natalia Borrego (one of the experts in the series), to complete her PhD in lion cognition.

Kevin has taken part in many speaking events on lions and lion conservation and was a guest speaker at Google Zeitgeist, alongside influential speakers including former US presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, and the esteemed scientist Dr Craig Venter who is responsible for DNA sequencing the human genome. His association with the Australian non-profit organisation Painted Dog Conservation Inc. (PDC Inc) helped to raise over AUD$100 000  at three separate speaking events in Perth, Melbourne and Sydney in 2013, 2015 and 2017.

Collaborations with world-recognised artists and photographers help to raise awareness and funds for conservation. Fine art photographer David Yarrow has donated a percentage of his print sales of Kevin’s animals to TUSK, Britain’s leading African Wildlife Charity which features HRH the Prince William as its patron.

OUR MISSION KEVIN RICHARDSON WHO WE ARE PATRON AMBASSADORS

ADDRESS: P.O. Box 1017, Derdepark, Pretoria South Africa, 0035

Email: [email protected] Website: www.kevinrichardsonfoundation.org

© The Kevin Richardson Foundation NPC 2004/015375/08

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NEWS LETTER

According to the brochure, “Go Wild! Drive thru Lion Country Safari African Wildlife Preserve.”

You don’t have to go to Africa for this African Safari. It’s only a 20-minute drive from Yesterland. Lion Country Safari is 40 miles from Downtown Los Angeles or 64 miles from Downtown San Diego, according to the brochure. Just head down the San Diego Freeway to the Moulton Parkway off-ramp. Your safari awaits you right on the Irvine Ranch in Orange County, California.

You’ll be greeted by a sign that reads, “No Trespassing. Violators Will Be Eaten! Lion Country Safari.”

Drive up to a ticket window. Adults are $3.25; children five through eleven are $1.50; four and under are free. There is no charge for parking.

If you’re driving a convertible, you won’t be allowed to drive it through the safari. (They don’t really want the lions to eat you.) Park your convertible at the Hertz Hut and rent an air-conditioned sedan or safari-type vehicle at nominal charge.

Did you bring your pets with you? According to the brochure, “Domestic animals are not permitted in automobiles touring the preserve. First-rate accommodations are provided for them, free, at the Kal Kan Kennel Club.”

A ranger watches from a tower to make sure everything is okay.

You’ll see more than just lions at California’s Lion Country Safari. You can drive your Impala among the antelope. The cheetahs can outrun your Cougar—you have a speed limit, but they don’t. Giraffes will tower over your Pinto. Curious ostriches might peck at your Falcon.

Experience an authentic safari in your family car.

The animals have the right-of-way. Given the size of the elephants and rhinoceroses, nobody should debate this rule.

Camels and zebras and gnus, oh my!

The zebras are glad that they’re separated from the lions by fences. Park guests are glad that the fences are hidden in ditches so that it feels like driving through an African savanna, not through a series of fenced enclosures.

Keep your windows rolled up!

Over 400 animals call Lion Country Safari “home.”

The stars of the show

The highlight of your safari is being surrounded by lions. The only thing between you and the ferocious beasts is your car window. A lion might even jump on the hood of your car—but, more likely, the well-fed lions will all be on the ground taking it easy.

If a 500-pound adult lion dents the hood of your car, how will you explain it to your insurance company?

“Jambo!”

When you finish your drive-through tour of the preserve, the fun isn’t over yet. Park your car and visit the Safari Camp and Entertainment Area.

Map of Safari Camp

For a larger (1200x1400 GIF) version of this Safari Camp map, click here .

Lion Country Flamingos

Take a Zambezi River Cruise (adults 75 cents, children 50 cents)—the animals along the river are real, unlike those at the Jungle Cruise in that park in Anaheim.

Zambezi River Cruise

California’s Lion Country Safari entertained visitors from 1970 to 1984.

On June 16, 1970, Lion Country Safari in Irvine opened to the public. The location in Southern California had a lot going for it—a great climate, a large local population, and a significant tourist base. But Lion Country Safari had stiff competition from Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm, and the beach.

Lion Country Safari was given a big boost by an unlikely star attraction. An elderly, nearly toothless lion named Frasier came from a Mexican circus in February 1971. The old cat’s tongue dangled from one side of his mouth, and he had trouble walking. He may not have been much to look at as far as we humans were concerned, but the lionesses saw him differently. There was a population boom of lion cubs at the park. Frasier’s sorry visage adorned tee-shirts and other park souvenirs. Frasier sired 35 cubs until his death in June 1972 at 17-20 years of age, equivalent to a human age of 85-100 years. Frasier even inspired a 1973 feature movie, Frasier the Sensuous Lion , rated PG.

In 1981, Irvine Meadows Amphitheater was added to Lion Country Safari. It was Verizon Wireless Amphitheater from 2000 to 2014. Then it reverted to its original name, before closing permanently in 2016.

On October 27, 1984, in the Los Angeles Times , staff writer Bruce Horowitz wrote about the end of the drive-through safari at Lion Country Safari:

The roar of Lion Country Safari may soon be replaced by a gurgle.

Park officials announced Thursday that they intend to phase out the 100-acre animal preserve at the struggling tourist attraction and replace a portion of it with a major water-theme amusement park.

“This land is so valuable that it no longer makes sense to have these animals occupying 100 choice acres,” said Harry Shuster, president of Lion Country Safari Inc. Over the next three months, the park plans to begin converting operations and selling its estimated 300 “wild” animals—valued at more than $200,000—to other animal parks and zoos nationwide, Shuster added.

When the lions and tigers are gone, the only remaining animals at the park will be tame ones in its petting zoo and exotic birds. Nevertheless, Shuster stressed, the park will retain the name Lion Country Safari. “Why not?” he asked. “Magic Mountain doesn’t have any magic nor is it on a mountain. And Knott’s Berry Farm hasn’t been a real farm for many years.

In November 1984, after more than 14 years in business, Lion Country Safari closed permanently. In 1986, part of the former Safari Camp became Wild Rivers Waterpark.

Surprisingly, the “so valuable” land that was once the drive-through safari remained undeveloped for decades.

The water park operated until September 2011. It’s now the site of Los Olivos, the largest apartment complex in Orange County, with 1,750 units. More apartments are planned for the site of the amphitheater when its lease runs out in 2017.

The Lion Country Safari name has long been erased. Moulton Parkway adjacent to the site is now called Irvine Center Drive. (It’s still Moulton Parkway after Lake Forest Drive.)

Yes, Lion Country Safari is long gone—but you can still visit Lion Country Safari. It doesn’t require a time machine.

That’s because the original (1967) Lion Country in Loxahatchee, Florida, is still open for business.

There’s still a Lion Country Safari near West Palm Beach, Florida.

Over 900 animals live at the Florida park. The four-decade-old attraction has aged gracefully. In recent years, the owners have upgraded the facilities with new features such as a giraffe feeding station, a ferris wheel, and a children’s water-play area, Safari Splash.

Cars and animals still the share the road in Florida.

There’s a four-mile drive-through preserve which provides great views of many different species. Guests are lent a CD or cassette for commentary through the car’s stereo. The lions are now fenced in. Chimpanzees live on islands. The elephants, who had long ago been moved into an elephant enclosure, were removed from Lion Country Safari in 2006; they are now at facilities that provide better social and physical environments for them. (Lion Country Safari’s Bulwagi the elephant was at Disney’s Animal Kingdom for four years before moving to the Birmingham Zoo in December 2010.) But there are still plenty of species wandering around in surprisingly large herds.

Ostriches seem to enjoy seeing their reflections in car windows.

The Safari World area provides animal exhibits, demonstrations, and rides (including rather Dumbo-esque flying elephants). After visiting Safari World, guests are welcome to drive through the preserve again at no additional charge.

It’s worth visiting Florida’s Lion Country Safari if you like animals and you’re in the area. Don’t expect the spectacular art direction of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. (It doesn’t cost as much for admission either.) This is a lovely, old-fashioned Florida attraction for guests of all ages.

© 2007-2020 Werner Weiss — Disclaimers, Copyright, and Trademarks

Updated January 5, 2020

• Scanned image of lions on road at Lion Country Safari, Irvine, California, from a Lion Country Safari brochure circa 1971. Included here for historical illustration.
• Scanned cover of Lion Country Safari brochure circa 1971. Included here for historical illustration.
• Photo of Lion Country Safari sign: from the collection of Richard Harris.
• Scan of Lion Country Safari exchange ticket: from the collection of Richard Harris.
• Photo of Lion Country Safari guard tower and giraffes: from the collection of Richard Harris.
• Scanned image of rhinos and elephants at Lion Country Safari, Irvine, California, from a Lion Country Safari brochure circa 1971. Included here for historical illustration.
• Photo of Lion Country Safari camels: from the collection of Richard Harris.
• Photo of Lion Country Safari tigers: from the collection of Richard Harris.
• Photo of Lion Country Safari giraffes on road: from the collection of Richard Harris.
• Photo of pride of lions at Lion Country Safari: courtesy of the Orange County Archives, Santa Ana, California.
• Photo of Lion Country Safari entrance to Safari Camp: from the collection of Richard Harris.
• Scanned image of map of Safari Camp and Entertainment Area at Lion Country Safari, Irvine, California, from a Lion Country Safari brochure circa 1972. Artist: T. Smith. Included here for historical illustration.
• Photo of Lion Country Safari flamingos: from the collection of Richard Harris.
• Photo of Lion Country Safari boat ride: from the collection of Richard Harris.
• Photo of Lion Country Safari (Florida) sign: 2006 by Werner Weiss.
• Photo of animals and SUV at Lion Country Safari (Florida): 2006 by Werner Weiss.
• Photo of an ostrich at Lion Country Safari (Florida): 2006 by Werner Weiss.

Richard Harris is the author Early Amusement Parks of Orange County .

The lions of Africa: expert advice on how to see them on your next safari

Sep 8, 2022 • 7 min read

Observing the social aspect of lions' lives is one of the most memorable elements of an encounter with the species © Thomas Retterath / Getty Images

Few experiences in Africa live longer in memory than the first time you see a lion.

Lithe and ferocious, lions are without rival as Africa’s apex predator and carry on their body what one lion expert described as an “aura of impending violence”. The epitome of wild Africa, they are also the most sought-after prize on any safari to East Africa or Southern Africa for their combination of grace and grandeur, charisma and gravitas. Here we introduce you to the king of Africa’s cats, and tell you where's best to see them.

Africa’s biggest cat

Second in size among felines only to the tiger, lions are easily Africa’s largest cat species. Males can be over 2.5m long, 3.5m if you include the tail. The heaviest wild male lion recorded weighed in at a rather hefty 272kg. Females generally weigh between 110kg and 168kg. Lions can eat up to 25% of their own body weight in a single session and, on such occasions, even male lions can appear pregnant, so swollen are their bellies.

Female lions can live up to 18 years in the wild; males have been known to live up to 16, but rarely make it past 12. Lions can live up to 27 years in captivity.

A social beast

There are 38 species of wild cats in the world, and the lion is the only social cat among them. Lions live in prides which can include more than 30 individuals, although many prides are much smaller, especially in areas where pressure from human populations is high, or in regions where prey is scarce.

A multi-generational sisterhood of lionesses forms the core of nearly every pride. Females born into the pride will, in many cases, remain with their sisters and mothers, aunties and grandmothers throughout their lifetimes. Together this formidable team of lionesses raises the pride’s cubs and inhabits a defined home range that can be as small as 35 sq km, or as large as 1000. They hunt as a team, defend their territory together against intruders, and raise cubs in a collective creche-like environment.

Safari animals: the story of rhinos (and the best places to see them)

Lion pregnancies last between three and four months and, when they are ready to give birth, lionesses retreat to a secluded place where the cubs are born. The average size of a litter of lions is between two and four, but as many as seven have been recorded. Cubs cannot open their eyes until around ten days after birth, and mothers keep their cubs hidden until they are around eight weeks old. Despite the protection afforded by the pride, lions are particularly vulnerable during their first two years of life.

When they reach adulthood, which for lions usually occurs between two and four years of age, the young males will leave their natal pride and search for a territory of their own – this is nature’s way of ensuring that sexually mature males do not mate with their own relatives. They will often join with brothers or cousins to form a coalition and, largely nomadic, these dispersing males will wander until they can successfully challenge a resident male (or males) for control of a pride. Once in control, they will patrol their territory, sometimes remaining on their own with the other coalition male(s), sometimes hanging out with the pride females and cubs.

Where to see rhinos on safari in Africa in 2022

What lions eat

Lions are great opportunists and will eat springhares, elephants and most animals in between. Their favorite prey varies from one region to the next, but their diet often includes zebra, warthog, buffalo, wildebeest, impala, gemsbok, and warthog. One pride of lions even learned to hunt seals along Namibia’s northern coast. Lions also hunt giraffes – this is a particular specialty in Tanzania’s Selous Game Reserve . Lions commonly hunt elephants in Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park, especially late in the dry season (September and October); the weight imbalance between lions and elephants, which can weigh 3.5 tons, is the greatest disparity between predator and prey in the animal kingdom. Even one-tonne buffaloes can weigh more than seven times that of the adult lioness bringing it down.

A day on safari in Africa: what you can expect in camp and in the wild

Although lions are skilled hunters and can reach a top speed of 93km/h, they rely on short bursts of speed rather than stamina – a typical lion hunt requires that lions stalk their prey to within around 15m before launching their attack. And despite such skills, their recorded success rate as hunters can be as low as 15% and never higher than 38.5% – in other words, significantly more than half of all lion hunts end in failure. And contrary to popular belief, lions routinely scavenge a significant proportion of their meals.

Lions will also eat domestic livestock, especially cows, and donkeys. With human beings and lions living in ever-closer proximity, such killings are a major cause of human-lion conflict, with many lions killed in retaliation.

Protecting rhinos from poachers in Africa - what it's like working on the frontline

King of the jungle? 

Contrary to popular lore, the lion has never been king of the jungle: they are most at home out on savannah plains or in open woodlands. Lions can adapt to many different habitats, from dense woodlands in Ethiopia and Uganda to semi-arid environments such as Botswana’s Kalahari and the Skeleton Coast of northern Namibia. Although lions, like most cats, aren’t particularly fond of water, they have learned to become strong swimmers in Botswana’s watery Okavango Delta .

Are you ready for a self-drive safari?

The largest lion populations are in East and Southern Africa; some estimates suggest that half of Africa’s lions live in Tanzania . There are small lion populations elsewhere, including the Gir Forest, in the Indian state of Gujarat , and West Africa (where the lion is listed as Critically Endangered). The largest lion populations are in Selous Game Reserve and Ruaha National Park (Tanzania), the Serengeti -Masai Mara (Tanzania and Kenya ), Kruger National Park (South Africa) and the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (which spans Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe).

The best places to see lions on safari

Northern Botswana has excellent lion-watching territory, including Moremi Game Reserve and elsewhere in the Okavango Delta, Chobe National Park  (especially the Savuti region) and the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. 

Kenya is home to around 2000 lions, with sightings possible in Masai Mara Game Reserve and the surrounding community conservancies, Amboseli , Tsavo East and Tsavo West  and Lake Nakuru national parks, as well as Samburu National Reserve and the conservancies of the Laikipia Plateau .

Wild times: a guide to the best national parks in Kenya

There aren’t many places in Namibia where you can see lions, but Etosha National Park in the country’s north is a brilliant exception. Khaudum National Park and the emerging parks of the Zambezi Region (formerly the Caprivi Strip) are quieter alternatives.

Beyond safaris, these are Namibia’s most awe-inspiring experiences

South Africa

Lions have been reintroduced onto many private reserves in South Africa. Otherwise, Kruger National Park is one of the world’s best places to see lions. Madikwe Game Reserve and Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park are less busy but also filled with lions.

The top 19 beaches in South Africa for sand, surf and scenery

This is prime lion-viewing land, and includes the Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire National Park in the north, and Selous Game Reserve and Ruaha National Park in the south.

Tanzania: an epic safari following the Serengeti's Great Migration

A much-underrated lion-watching destination, Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park is excellent, with North Luangwa and Kafue national parks offering wilder experiences.

Unforgettable adventure activities in Zimbabwe and Zambia

Hwange National Park is one of Africa’s best national parks and lion sightings are common. Mana Pools is another park with a healthy lion population that you can watch while on a walking safari.

8 vital things to know about South African safaris

Lions in peril?

There are more rhinos, more elephants and more gorillas than there are lions in Africa. No one really knows how many lions there were in Africa a century ago, but most estimates suggest that it was more than a million. A study in 2019 estimated that there were just 22,509 left on the continent and that lions have disappeared from 95% of their former range.

Many lions live in isolated populations that may not be viable in the long term, and just 40% of Africa’s lions live within the boundaries of protected areas. Just eight countries are believed to have at least 500 adult lions: Tanzania, Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

The lion is listed as Vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Where to go for your first safari in Africa

This article was first published Oct 28, 2019 and updated Sep 8, 2022.

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Video of Safari Ranger Coming Face to Face With a Lion Ends the People of Mzansi, His Reaction Is Everything

• A video of a man encountering a giant lioness has gone viral purely because of the man’s priceless reaction
• TikTok user @lion.tape shared the clip, showing the man turning to realise he was facing a lioness in the flesh
• The people of Mzansi were tripping wondering what they would do if they ever encountered a deadly beast

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While they warn you about coming into contact with a wild animal when on safari, the likelihood is slim… unless you are this danger ranger, of course! A man was stunned when he turned his head and saw a lion standing right in front of him, the moment was caught on camera and has left people laughing.

Some South African citizens go an entire lifetime without ever encountering a wild animal, despite popular belief. Yup, foreigners, you read that correctly, LOL.

Video of baboons breaking into a car leaves Mzansi peeps laughing at crime rate, even animals are in on it

TikTok user @lion.tape shared a video showing a man casually sitting in the front of a safari van and then turning to his right where a massive lioness was staring right at him. The man froze!

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The people of Mzansi chuckle at the man’s reaction while sharing their thoughts

You might think you know how you will react if you ever encounter a lion, but do you really? People took to the comment section to share their thoughts and have a good laugh at the expense of this poor man.

Take a look at some of the comments:

@Jose Lopez said:

“Soul just left my body ”

@Davidas neverauskas said:

“Realisation of free food”

@lalogloria said:

“They both didn’t expect to see each other.”

@patrickpatrick67 said:

“That eye contact at the end!!! WOW ”

Video of petrol attendant grooving while doing a transaction has the people of Mzansi overflowing with pride

@Ethan Garbutt said:

“Bro gripped the truck like he was going to throw it at the lion ”

Video of dog chasing an ostrich up the road in a residential area had the man witnessing it totally confused

In related news, Briefly News reported that a lot of weird and wonderful things happen in our beautiful country, like an ostrich getting chased by a dog in a residential area. The people of Mzansi were just as confused as the man who took the video. Laughter was the only logical response to this situation.

Many foreigners think people who live in South Africa have lions in their back garden and battle elephants at the local watering hole, LOL… not quite, however, we do have ostriches running up our streets.

TikTok user @joemama_711420 was the lucky man who got to witness the strange moment. Casually standing by his car, our guy saw a whole entire ostrich being chased by a dog, luckily he caught it on camera. Only in Africa, neh?!

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Terrifying moment unsuspecting ranger comes face to face with a lion while sat on the front of his jeep

South African safari guide Eric Ubisi froze with fear as the predator looked him in the eye

• Published : 12:47, 22 Jul 2016
• Updated : 14:02, 22 Jul 2016

THIS is the terrifying moment a safari ranger came face-to-face with a huge lion.

Experienced guide Eric Ubisi was left shaking in his boots when the powerful predator casually walked past him in the Manyeleti Game Reserve in Tintswalo, South Africa.

Scaredy cat Eric was sat in the mounted seat of his parked jeep when the deadly beast stopped and stared directly at him on Monday afternoon.

The defenceless ranger completely froze, clutching his chair as his life passed before his eyes.

Animal enthusiast Eric was with fellow guides David Jacobs and Anton van Loggerenberg when the incident took place.

But while the big cat did get too close for comfort, Eric insists he never felt in danger.

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He said: “I enjoyed it and knew the lion was going to walk past without harming me.

“I knew the lion was relaxed and I have been watching him every day since he was a cub and know his behaviour.

“They are our resident pride.”

Ranger David explained that they were giving a lucky safari guest the chance to see a pride of lions before the sun went down.

He said: “We were out on a game drive with our guest when we spotted three young male lions on Buffalo planes.

“We positioned our vehicle in a way that offered our guest optimal viewing, when the lions all stood up and approached the vehicle.

“One lay down behind the vehicle and the other one moved towards the front and briefly stopped and looked at Eric, so I was unable to back away.”

The staff at the Tintswalo Safari Lodge are highly experienced and trained to stay still when confronted with flesh-eating apex predators.

David said: “I asked Eric if he was comfortable and he said he was fine.

“I observed no aggressive behaviour from the lions.

“It was a very brief encounter and after a few minutes, the lion walked off and lay down about ten metres away.”

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African Lion Safaris

Encounters with the icon of africa.

The true icon of Africa’s Big Five, the African lion is the symbol of strength and power, the epitome of any safari to wild Africa. Today, catching sight of this apex predator is one of the most sought-after prizes for almost every safari-goer, with regal prides located from East to South.

Observing the social aspect of lions' lives is one of the most memorable elements of an encounter with the species. Out on the wild African plains, females stalk big game as they feed on tasty grasses, prides nap in the shade and cubs play under the watchful eye of their mothers as males fight for the crown. Exploring via game drives and even walking safaris, witness the wild behaviours of these magnificent mammals.

Where can you see the African Lion?

African Lions are found in sub-Saharan Africa, with 80% of the population in eastern or southern Africa and three of the five largest populations in Tanzania. African Lions used to be found across most of the continent, but in recent decades they have disappeared from 12 sub-Saharan countries.

THE AFRICAN LION

• Lions are notably the only sociable big cat, with prides formed of a few muscular males, crowned with a thick mane and measuring up to 3.5m long and up to 272kg.
• Most of the hunting is done by the smaller more agile females, weighing between 110 kg and 168 kg, who will work together to hunt anything from small antelope up to buffalo and even giraffe; in Savuti in Botswana, they have learnt to hunt young elephant.
• The males will often get involved to help tackle the dangerous animals. Males have a large mane of hair which can be beige or black depending on the individual and the area they live in.

Contact us for a bespoke quote

African Lion Safari Destinations

• Masai Mara National Reserve: A great place to see lions year-round in the flat, wide and open plains of the Masai Mara. In July, 2 million wildebeest cross the Mara River under the eyes of the hungry lions.
• Serengeti National Park: Three of the five largest lion populations are in Tanzania and the Serengeti is one of the best spots to see lions due to the availability of food and the million wildebeest.
• In Southern Tanzania, Ruaha National Park is one of Africas hidden treasures with only 6000 visitors a year. Second to the Serengeti, Ruaha is home to 10% of the worlds lion population so there is great opportunities to see lions around less safari vehicles.
• The Ngorongoro Crater offers the oppourtunity to see the Big 5 in a different setting, in the worlds largest inactive volcanic caldera.
• Okavango Delta: The Okavango Delta is the best place to see water-adapted lions in Africa, these lions are 15% larger than others and have adapted to hunting during the day when the buffalo are grazing. The permanent water and nutritious grasses makes the Okavango Delta the perfect habitat for buffalo and you may witness lions fighting them here.
• Kruger National Park: Most of South Africa’s lions can be found in Kruger National Park. Being the size of Wales, it can be hard to find them, but South Kruger has way more lions as it is wetter and greener. We recommend staying at Sabi Sands, which is one of the most reliable places to see lions in Africa. Timbavati is also the best place to see white lions in Africa.

Lions are highly adaptable, and in Namibia you will find ‘desert-adapted’ or ‘desert-lions’, that have adapted to survive in the harsh landscape of little vegetation and prey. The best places to see lions in Namibia is in Kaokoveld and Damaraland, but be aware these lions are nomadic and you are not guaranteed to see them.

Classic Kenya Safari

An exciting family safari, exploring the masai mara....

Luxury South Africa Safari

Relax in the ultimate luxury of your lodge after encountering the African big cats whilst out on safari with your expert guide. Spend time on the coast of Cape Town exploring historic Robben Island and the rugged rocks of beautiful Cape Point. Visit Hermanus, a world-renowned whale watching destination, take the opportunity to see both black and white rhino in one place and even search for the rare white Lion in Timbavati Game Reserve.

Classic Tanzania Safari

This Tanzania highlights small group safari takes you to the heart of the action trying to catch sight of the migration, witness wildlife in the Ngorongoro Crater and enjoy an option hot air balloon ride over the Serengeti.

Small Group Namibia Safari

This expertly-guided small group trip consisting of a maximum of seven guests takes in the highlights of Namibia. Over the course of this ten day trip you will get to visit the iconic towering dunes at Sossusvlei, the coast and wildlife at Swakopmund and Walvis Bay, the desert-adapted wildlife and unique rock formations of Damaraland, rewarding wildlife viewing in Etosha National Park and an educational tour of the AfriCat Foundation at Okonjima.

Okavango Delta Botswana Safari

Combining Chobe National Park and the Okavango Delta, staying in both a 'wet' camp and 'dry' camp in the Delta to really get a feel for the iconic landscapes of Botswana.

African Lion Conservation

In just 25 years, Africa’s lion population dramatically dropped with only 50% of their numbers remaining across the iconic landscapes of the continent. The IUCN classified these majestic creatures as “vulnerable” as a result, a subject of habitat loss and fragmentation, illegal wildlife trade, poaching and human-lion conflict.

It was as a result of this revelation that the Lionscape Coalition was formed, in response to the growing threat of extinction and the predictable knock-on effect this would have on Africa’s biodiversity. Lions are classed as an “umbrella species”; with a wild lion population thriving, the entire surrounding eco-system functions effectively, ultimately also affecting the livelihoods of those relying on ecotourism for survival. The Lionscape Coalition sees four commercial competitors, who share the bold vision of the Lion Recovery Fund (LRF) to double wild lion numbers by 2050, collaborate on lion conservation programmes across Africa. Putting all commercial considerations aside, this alliance brings to this initiative over 100 years of positive conservation and community impact throughout Africa.

Lions are a resilient species so the future looks bright. These animals will rapidly reproduce if their habitats are protected if communities have incentives to co-exist and protect them. Creating healthy ‘lionscapes’ which can benefit these local communities is key to the success of population decline being reversed and many other species will recover in the process.

When is the Best Time to See African Lions?

The best time to see lions is during the peak safari season from July to October. The cool, dry winter means less vegetation for wildlife to hide behind and the lack of rain means wildlife will congregate around the lakes and rivers and most wildlife wont stray too far from the little water left.

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Tourist tries to pet a wild lion and what happens next comes as no surprise to anyone

Post date: Jun 28 2018

Date: Jun 28 2018

By: Travelweek Group

TANZANIA — There’s never a shortage of videos of dumb people in the wild, and the latest one is certainly no exception.

A couple on safari in Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park were seen on camera trying to pet a lion through the window of their vehicle. The video, which has been viewed over 26,000 times, clearly shows a female arm reach out of the window in an attempt to pet the wild animal, which had been resting right below them.

At first the lion paid no heed, but after a few seconds it bared its teeth at the passengers and roared. The male passenger in the vehicle quickly closed the window in response.

Wildlife Sightings, who published the video, said that trying to touch a lion is “incredibly stupid and ignorant of the tourist that filmed the sighting.” According to The Sun, which had interviewed a South African safari ranger, the lion had the power to tear off a person’s arm or even pull the couple out of the window and kill them.

This is just the latest incident involving tourists acting foolishly in the wild. Last month, a French couple and their young child were caught on camera trying to escape a pack of hungry cheetahs after they exited their car to snap pictures of the animals while at Safari Park Beekse Bergen in the Netherlands.

The family got out of their vehicle on two separate occasions to take photographs. The first time, the cheetahs ignored them entirely. But the second time, the cheetahs are seen circling the family, after which the man runs back to the vehicle. The woman is seen picking up the child, trying to stare down an approaching cheetah, and swatting it away as if it’s nothing more than a harmless mosquito.

Fortunately, the woman and child made it back to the car just in time.

Park manager Niels de Wildt confirmed the authenticity of the video to Dutch radio station NOS Radio 1 News, and said, “These people have been incredibly lucky.”

Tags: Tanzania, Wired

HEY KIDDO. WANNA WILD WITH US?

Think sunshine. Think fresh air. Think grassy plains. Think lions, cheetahs and birds of prey, waiting to be discovered, explored and understood.

The Little Rangers Adventure Club provides a pretty roarsome substitute for screen time, holiday boredom and all year round conservation skills transfer, for young curious minds. It’s a safe, engaging and fun society for S.A’s lion hearts.

The Club is inspired by Mother Nature and is a wholesome and adventurous environmentally driven bush community, developed around creative and informative activities for children aged 5-12.

Activities are structured within a four-tiered badge rewards system, keeping children motivated and encouraging healthy, educational development. Badge levels offer unique activities, affording kids the chance to graduate to higher bush interests and skills which includes some pawsome rewards!

For every activity completed, kids will receive a badge. Collect 3 badges, and move up a tier. Each tier offers exclusive discounts and benefits, including, the joy of a free birthday party (venue & setup) hosted in the park, when graduating as a Little Game Ranger (Level 4).

Children are encouraged to engage in conservation activities that support their curiosity and the safety and care of the wild at large. All this fun will take place over weekends. Some activities include art in the park, feeding giraffes and safe and factual survival skills transfer in the bush.

Sign-Up Fee

R300.00 (includes safari vest, cub scout badge and field guide)

Fee per Activity

R130.00 Saturdays 09:00 – 10:30 Sundays 09:00 – 10:30

Complete the sign-up form below:

Pay your sign-up fee (R300.00). Select any date. Your welcome pack will be ready on arrival for your first activity.

(Welcome pack includes a safari vest, first badge and field guide)

Book an activity in the calendar below (R130.00 per activity | SAT & SUN). There are 12 different roarsome activities to complete, every Saturday and Sunday we do a different activity. So Kiddo, keep a paw on the calendar below. You will earn a badge after every activity, get 4 badges and move up to the next level. The activities will repeat after every 6 weeks.

Events for May

Paw and Spoor Tracking

Nature Scavenger Hunt

To Eat or Be Eaten

Big Five Bingo

Ultimate Survivor

Art in the park

Events for june.

Wildlife Heroes

For more information or general enquiries, please complete the below form.

Or, contact us directly at [email protected] 

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Baboon grooms little lion cub in South Africa’s Kruger park

In this photo taken Saturday, Feb. 1, 2020, a male baboon carries a lion cub in a tree while the rest of the baboon troop settled down, the male “moved from branch to branch, grooming and carrying the cub for a long period of time,” said Schultz, in the Kruger National Park, South Africa. The baboon took the little cub into the tree and preened it as if it were his own, said safari ranger Kurt Schultz who said in 20 years he had never seen such behaviour. The fate of the lion cub is unknown. (Photo Kurt Schultz via AP)

In this photo taken Saturday, Feb. 1, 2020, a male baboon carries a lion cub in a tree in the Kruger National Park, South Africa. The baboon took the little cub into the tree and preened it as if it were his own, said safari ranger Kurt Schultz who said in 20-years he had never seen such behaviour. The fate of the lion cub is unknown. (Photo Kurt Schultz via AP)

In this photo taken Saturday, Feb. 1, 2020, a male baboon preens a lion cub in a tree While the rest of the baboon troop settled down, the male “moved from branch to branch, grooming and carrying the cub for a long period of time,” said Schultz. in the Kruger National Park, South Africa. The baboon took the little cub into the tree and preened it as if it were his own, said safari ranger Kurt Schultz who said in 20 years he had never seen such behaviour. The fate of the lion cub is unknown. (Photo Kurt Schultz via AP)

• Copy Link copied

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — A male baboon carrying and grooming a lion cub is an unusual sight, yet it happened over the weekend in South Africa’s Kruger National Park.

The baboon took the cub up into a tree and preened it as if it were its own, said safari operator Kurt Schultz, who in 20 years had never seen such behavior.

“The baboon was grooming the lion cub as if it was a baby baboon,” Schultz said in an email to The Associated Press. “Male baboons do a lot of grooming but the care given to this lion cub was the same care given by a female baboon to one of her own young.”

Schultz said when he first saw the baboons early Saturday, the troop of baboons was excited and animated. It is possible they had discovered the lion cub, he said.

The baboons had gathered in an area with granite hills and boulders where lions and leopards have been known to hide their cubs while they go hunting, he said, and that’s likely how the baboons found the cub.

Baboons “are really strong animals and when they were all excited and fighting over the baby in the beginning, it could have been injured internally,” Schultz said. It was a hot morning and the cub was also showing signs of dehydration, he said.

While the rest of the baboon troop settled down, the male “moved from branch to branch, grooming and carrying the cub for a long period of time,” Schultz said. “The cub seemed very exhausted.”

Schultz and others on safaris in the park watched the rare sight and took photographs.

“I don’t see a chance of this poor cub surviving. The troop of baboons was large and a lion would not be able to get the young back,” Schultz said. “Nature is cruel at most times and the survival of a young predator cub is not easy. The lion cub would pose a threat to the baboons when it gets older. I have witnessed baboons viciously killing leopard cubs and have heard of baboons killing lion cubs.”

The first step to your dream Luxury Safari starts here

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Wildlife conservation experiences, signature safaris, community and conservation, tailor-made african safaris, dedicated to conservation, we offer once in a lifetime experiences, community participation, we support ekukhanyeni relief project..

Ekukhanyeni Relief Project champions poverty alleviation and sustainable community development through complementary community-based programmes. These programmes improve the capacity of marginalised and poor communities in urban and informal settlement environments to provide effective early childhood care and education to its children. It also targets the local adult support network, and works to achieve and sustain food and nutrition security in these communities.

The project’s values align with those of our own ecosafari and wildlife experiences, of long-term sustainability and paying things forward, and we are proud to support them.

Our Travel Destinations

A nation of spectacular natural beauty, prolific wildlife, and a rich and welcoming local culture,  Zimbabwe is home to one of the Seven Wonders of the Natural World. It is an absolute must for your custom African safari, and will lead to seeing sights you’ve never seen before. The sheer impact of Zimbabwe’s natural landscape will take your breath away.

South Africa

South Africa holds the title as Africa’s all-in-one travel destination. From the stunning mountain ranges and bustling beaches of Cape Town to the world famous Kruger National Park, you can be sure that South Africa will be able to tick all the African travel and luxury safari boxes. Can’t decide? Then have it all in one place with our South African ecosafaris.

Known as ‘The Land of a Thousand Hills’, Rwanda has become famous for its vast expanses of rolling hills, lush, tropical forests, and as a sanctuary for many of the world’s last remaining mountain gorillas. It is therefore especially important to make sure that any travelling here is done as a sustainable ecosafari, so as not to disturb these rare and majestic creatures

Resting in the magnificent Great Rift Valley and presided over by the majestic Mount Kilimanjaro, Kenya is characterised by hauntingly beautiful natural landscapes and an extraordinary abundance of wildlife. The ecosafari opportunities in Kenya are virtually endless, and the diversity of wildlife is immense.

Uganda’s largely untouched tropical rainforests are home to the largest concentrations of primates on earth, making it a dream destination for many of the world’s ecosafari lovers. Anyone interested in primate wildlife experiences cannot afford to miss out on Uganda, which is unsurpassed in this regard.

Home to some of Southern Africa’s most spectacular wilderness areas and an abundance of wildlife, Zambia is one destination that can be trusted to deliver the best African safari experience. Zambia’s unique landscapes and jaw-dropping natural beauty are not to be missed, and are a true expression of Africa.

From the wildlife-rich plains of the Serengeti to the tropical beaches of Zanzibar, Tanzania offers a variety of astounding landscapes and travel experiences for every kind of travel enthusiast. An incredible place for safaris, Tanzania boasts incredible biodiversity across equally diverse terrain. Tanzanian safaris are a must for any international safari completionist.

Located along the West Coast of Southern Africa, Namibia is characterized by some of the world’s most astounding natural scenery and an incredible variety of desert adapted wildlife – a bucket list destination for any safari enthusiast.

Famous for its impressive variety of pristine wilderness areas and sheer abundance of life, Botswana is without a doubt one of Africa’s most spectacular sustainable safari destinations. Botswana safaris are famous for a reason, and no true safari connoisseur can afford to miss this unforgettable trip.

Community and Wildlife Conservation Experiences

Conservation and Community

Take a guided tour with the head of ECD at the Ekukhanyeni Relief Project. You can also continue your wildlife conservation experience with a stay at Kapama Southern Camp, where you can assist with local rhino and lion conservation activities. Spend some time giving the greatest gift of all – giving back.

Wild Dog Conservation Experience

Help our team on the ground with many of the vital tasks and procedures required during this unforgettable wild dog conservation experience. See these enigmatic creatures up close in an intimate wildlife experience, and help to ensure the future of wild dog populations. They may not be the most glamorous part of a luxury African safari, but they deserve protection too.

Lion Conservation Experience

Help our team on the ground with many of the vital tasks and procedures required during this unforgettable lion conservation experience.

Rhino Conservation Experience

With ever growing risk from poaching, rhino conservation is more important than ever. Through this wildlife experience, you can help our team of specialists with a variety of conservation efforts aimed at protecting rhinos. These creatures deserve to be a part of the ecosafaris of future generations.

Elephant Conservation Experience

Often maimed for their precious ivory, the wondrous elephants deserves to be protected from such cruelty. Help our team with their efforts to protect these gentle giants, and get directly involved with elephant conservation. No African wildlife experience would be complete without these massive masters of the veldt.

Our Carefully Curated Signature Safaris Packages

From the lush jungles of Rwanda to our world renowned mountain biking safari through South Africa’s famous Greater Kruger National Park, as well as our popular Tanzanian safaris, you can be certain that any one of our luxury African ecosafaris will deliver a life-changing wildlife experience that creates unforgettable memories.

Mountain Biking Safaris

Explore some of Africa’s most celebrated wilderness areas and cycle in search of the Big Five and other famous wildlife on our expertly guided mountain biking safaris. Safe and immersive, this might just be the epitome of what an ecosafari should be.

Luxury Rail Safaris

Set out on a journey of discovery across Africa’s most spectacular landscapes on a luxurious rail safari from the comfort of the world famous Rovos Rail train. Seeing nature from the comfort of a mobile indoors – truly the height of luxury African safaris.

Honeymoon Safari

Let Africa’s charismatic charm and breathtaking beauty set the scene for your romantic getaway, where you and your partner will create memories that will last a lifetime. Fall in love all over again beneath an African sky, with our custom honeymoon safaris.

Golfing Safaris

Experience the continent’s most celebrated golf courses, pristine wilderness areas and spectacular luxury lodges on our golfing safaris. Work on your handicap while taking in some of the most beautiful nature in the world.

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Is the 'Rangers Spot Giant Lion' Story True?

We clicked through a 50-page slideshow article to find answers about a supposed "giant lion" that was featured in an online advertisement., jordan liles, published may 2, 2022.

About this rating

In May 2022, we reviewed an online advertisement that claimed, "Rangers Spot Giant Lion - Vet Is Shocked When Looking At The Ultrasound." A variation of the ad read, "Rangers Spot Giant Lion - You Won't Believe What They Found Inside." The ads, which included a picture of what has been referred to in the past as " fat lion ," were also found on news websites such as WalesOnline and Newshub . They were hosted by the Taboola advertising network.

The ads led to a 50-page slideshow article. We clicked "next page" nearly 50 times to find answers. It began like this:

Rangers George and Mark couldn't believe their eyes when they saw the lion in the distance. It looked very weird, it looked like he wanted the rangers to help him. George immediately called the local veterinarian, who didn't know what she encountered. She had never seen anything like this before. When the vet saw the ultrasound she immediately called the police. But what was wrong with the Lion? And what did the vet see? When the vet called the police, they told her that they would come her way immediately. This lion needed special help from more than just a vet. This lion needed surgery, as there was obviously something strange going on in its stomach. It might even be a life or death situation...

By the end of the 50-page story, the rangers and veterinarian found "a piece of meat that was not digested properly" and "a small microchip embedded inside of the meat."

However, this was not a real story. On page 50 was this small bit of text: "This story is a work of fiction created for entertainment. Characters and events are the products of the author’s imagination. The images shown are used for illustration only."

Aside from the ads, the picture of the "giant lion" has also been featured as a YouTube thumbnail:

We also found that it had been used in a tweet by conservative media personality Ben Shapiro in 2015. It came after the third Republican presidential debate on Oct. 28, 2015. Shapiro tweeted: " Donald Trump IS Fat Lion. And if you poke the Fat Lion, your face will be eaten, as John Kasich learned ."

So where did this photograph of the lion with the big belly come from? According to Adeevee.com , it was included in a design for part of an ad for Jeep Wrangler Unlimited in 2008. While an art director and several other people who worked on the ad were mentioned by name, we noticed that a photographer was not credited. This story will be updated if we find out more information regarding how the ad was created:

We previously reported on similar stories that resulted from ads about a "giant snake ," "giant crocodile ," and an exceptionally large horse . In the cases of the snake and crocodile, both were also works of fiction about a veterinarian supposedly finding something in the animal 's belly.

In sum, this particular story of a "giant lion" being spotted by rangers and a veterinarian was nothing more than an arduous piece of fiction.

Source: “Chrysler Canada Jeep Wrangler Unlimited: Fat Lion.” Adeevee , 4 Apr. 2008, https://www.adeevee.com/2008/04/chrysler-canada-jeep-wrangler-unlimited-fat-lion-outdoor/.

By Jordan Liles

Jordan Liles is a Senior Reporter who has been with Snopes since 2016.

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Lion Country Safari Mauling: An Untold Story

By KIghostguy , January 6, 2018 in Kings Island

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Hello everyone. Here is my latest writing, this one about an often-forgotten tragedy on Lion Country Safari. Has a complete account of the incident and investigation with exclusive information with several rare photos. Hope you all find this interesting.

https://kingsislandghost.blogspot.com/2022/01/the-untold-story-of-kings-islands-fatal.html

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February 9, 2019

No. Outpost 5 is in reference to the recordings that used to play in Adventure Express' queue line. "All aboard the express for Outpost 5."  The loose storyline to AE was that you were boarding a

January 16, 2018

I'm showing my age here...but this is kind of funny. So I remembered going on this safari as a little girl, probably when I was about 5...and apparently didn't go back to the park again until after th

January 6, 2018

Hello everyone. Here is my latest writing, this one about an often-forgotten tragedy on Lion Country Safari. Has a complete account of the incident and investigation with exclusive information with se

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An important thing to note, as you mentioned at the end of the article, is that when it originally opened, it was not operated by Kings Island.

Sister park Kings Dominion also had a Lion Country Safari.  To this day, Six Flags Great Adventure still has a drive thru animal safari located next to the amusement park.

13 minutes ago, CoastersRZ said: An important thing to note, as you mentioned at the end of the article, is that when it originally opened, it was not operated by Kings Island. Sister park Kings Dominion also had a Lion Country Safari.  To this day, Six Flags Great Adventure still has a drive thru animal safari located next to the amusement park.

Thanks for reading the post. I mention the Kings Dominion Safari at the beginning of the post.

I must have read right over that part!

Very sad, but interesting. Thanks!

Magenta Lizard

I can't believe he wasn't fired before the mauling. I can only hope it was that the incidents other than his leaving the vehicle were either not reported to his supervisors or were downplayed by those who witnessed them. Seriously, straddling a lion? Pulling their tails as a regular thing? What was wrong with him?!

TheRickster

Would there be a way to super impose the map from the report showing the incident location with a satellite photo of the current park?

17 hours ago, Magenta Lizard said: I can't believe he wasn't fired before the mauling. I can only hope it was that the incidents other than his leaving the vehicle were either not reported to his supervisors or were downplayed by those who witnessed them. Seriously, straddling a lion? Pulling their tails as a regular thing? What was wrong with him?!

Agreed. He did seem to be a rather careless fellow whose actions reflect that of someone who neither respected his own life nor the danger the lions posed. If this was truly known to be common behavior from him, he should have been reported and he should have been fired. Heck, he shouldn't have worked there at all.  

8 hours ago, TheRickster said: Would there be a way to super impose the map from the report showing the incident location with a satellite photo of the current park?

There certainly is a way; the problem is that I don’t know where the lion enclosure was located in present-day Kings Island.

Would love to see the source materials and citations for this Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

On 1/7/2018 at 11:48 AM, shark6495 said: Would love to see the source materials and citations for this Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Associated Press. "Kings Island Ranger Killed By Lion; Found in Park Safari Section" (July 25, 1976) Wire Report

_____________. "Lions Fatally Attack Ranger" (July 26, 1976) Wire Report

_____________. "Massive Neck Bite Killed Lion Park Ranger" (July 27, 1976) Wire Report

_____________. "Mauled Ranger Left His Vehicle" (July 31, 1976) Wire Report

_____________. "Ranger Killed By Lion Had Been Injured Previously" (July 28, 1976) Wire Report

Brinkmoeller, Tom. "Update" (January 5, 1978)  The Cincinnati Enquirer

Enquirer Hamilton Bureau. "Ranger's Body Discovered in Lion Preserve" (July 25, 1976)  The Cincinnati Enquirer

Enquirer Lebanon Bureau. "Illness Might Have Caused Ranger to Leave His Jeep" (July 27, 1976)  The Cincinnati Enquirer

_____________________. " Probe Launched in Ranger's Death" (July 28, 1976)  The Cincinnati Enquirer

Fusco, Pete. "Kings Island Ranger Killed by Lion Attack" (July 25, 1976)  Dayton Daily News

__________. "Lion Victim's Mother Wants Patrol Probe" (July 27, 1976)  Dayton Daily News

__________. "Lion's Bite Fatal Quickly, Coroner Says" (July 26, 1976)  Dayton Daily News

__________  and Stewart, Don. "Sheriff's Probe Asks If or Why Ranger Left Jeep" (July 29, 1976)  Dayton Daily News

Graham, Mike. "'How' in Ranger Death Determined, But 'Why' Unknown" (July 26, 1976)  Journal-News  (Hamilton, OH)

___________. "Kings Island: Investigation Ahead" (July 28, 1976)  Journal-News  (Hamilton, OH)

Hunter, Ginny. "Blood May Be Clue to Ranger's Death" (July 28, 1976)  The Cincinnati Post

___________. "Lion Victim Had Been Hurt Before" (July 27, 1976)  The Cincinnati Post

___________. "Still a Mystery: Why Did Safari Ranger Leave Jeep?" (July 26, 1976)  The Cincinnati Post

No Byline. "Coroner Has Theory on Ranger Death" (July 27, 1976)  The Journal Herald  (Dayton, OH)

________. "Death at Kings Island May Remain a Mystery" (July 26, 1976)  The Journal Herald  (Dayton, OH)

________. "Lion Bite Fatal to Ranger, Coroner Rules" (July 28, 1976)  The Western Star  (Lebanon, OH)

________. "Lion Mauling Ruling Today?" (July 26, 1976)  The Cincinnati Enquirer

________. "Lion May Have Killed Kings Island Ranger" (July 25, 1976)  Journal-News  (Hamilton, OH)

________. "Mauled Ranger Disobeyed Rules, Sheriff Reports" (July 31, 1976)  The Cincinnati Post

________. "Mauling Death Probe Hangs on Blood Tests" (July 29, 1976)  The Cincinnati Post

_______. “ Ranger’s Death Investigated” (August 3, 1976)  The Warren County Reporter

________.  "Sheriff Ends Ranger Probe" (August 4, 1976)  The Western Star  (Lebanon, OH)

________. "Tests Completed in Ranger's Death" (August 5, 1976)  The Cincinnati Post

Roher, Jim. "Mauling Victim Left Vehicle, Investigators Believe" (August 1, 1976)  The Cincinnati Enquirer

In addition to the above newspaper articles, I also have the full case file from the Warren County Sheriff's Office. That includes: the investigation report by Col. Lynn Ertel, witness statements from Dick Fussner, Candace Walker, Dennie Acus, Pat Callahan and Terry Gressner, first-aid report from the July 4 clawing, autopsy and lab report on John McCann, memo sent to the sheriff from deputy Harold Metcalf, June and July safety memos, job description sheet for Lion Country Safari, maintenance report on jeep #5, notes from Col. Ertel, the July 30 press release, and all photographs taken by Col. Ertel, Clark Nolte, Coroner Ralph Young, Dick Fussner and the Hamilton County Coroner's Office.

Thanks I love original sources. It’s the skeptic in me:). Plus reading in the news papers at the time. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

AZ Kinda Guy

I’m having trouble placing the site of the mauling. Perhaps an overhead shot from Google Earth?

22 minutes ago, AZ Kinda Guy said: I’m having trouble placing the site of the mauling. Perhaps an overhead shot from Google Earth?

This is from Google Earth. The map from the Sheriff's Office puts Blazer Berm behind the lake in the center-right of this picture. So, the location today is a restricted area behind Banshee.

Kind of off topic, but I wonder how often Google updates Google Earth?  Son of Beast was torn down in 2012 and it's still on the map.  

On topic, thank you for the write up.  Seems like he was just a young guy who maybe didn't appreciate how dangerous those big cats can be and paid for it with his life.  Such a tragedy.

57 minutes ago, timfsu2k said: Kind of off topic, but I wonder how often Google updates Google Earth?  Son of Beast was torn down in 2012 and it's still on the map.

Way more often that it appears to the unaware user. Warning: rant ahead.

I hate, hate, HATE that Google Maps satellite view always defaults to showing 3D constructions, with no way to change that default permanently on the web. What this does is show the latest imagery that has 3D graphics available for everything , with all newer imagery ignored because they haven't been fully 3D-ified. If you turn 3D off (which SHOULD be the default, but Google in their infinite wisdom gives us no way to change that default on the web) by opening the menu in the upper left and clicking "3D on", you will actually get up-to-date imagery that you SHOULD be given in the first place that shows a completed Mystic Timbers and also shows the Island Smokehouse under construction, indicating that it is from spring 2017.

</rant>

8 hours ago, AZ Kinda Guy said: I’m having trouble placing the site of the mauling. Perhaps an overhead shot from Google Earth?

8 hours ago, KIghostguy said: This is from Google Earth. The map from the Sheriff's Office puts Blazer Berm behind the lake in the center-right of this picture. So, the location today is a restricted area behind Banshee.  

I did my best to do it quickly in photo shop.... evidently the hand drawn map is not to any sense of scale....

Yeah I've been all over back there and wasn't sure which pond/lake it was referring to. Very cool to see it laid out like that! I was even thinking maybe it was the pond by the campground, but it seems to fit that photoshop just fine.

The road going from the old SOB station out past FOF totally feels like you're driving through the Savannah.

Another amazing blog! I always feel like I know so much about KI and then people like you and @Shaggy  show me that there are always so many details to the stories that we don’t even think about. Great work!

Obviously nearly all of the Wild Animal Habitat is gone now. Much of it was lost to progress, with a few remnants still remaining in the woods. Kings Dominion’s closed at a similar time to Kings Island’s attraction but their boneyard is far more interesting. There is still a huge network of confusing backroads through the woods at KD that are surrounded by several layers of security fences and multi-tiered gates. It is VERY evident that it used to be a zoo of some sort. From almost anywhere in the park you can’t tell that anything is back in the woods, but it’s almost like a whole city.

Can anyone confirm that KI’s Wild Animal Safari was opened year-round, as mentioned in the blog? I had heard that before, but never from a first hand source. I know that in the later years KI partnered with the Cincinnati Zoo, so a lot of the animals went there in the winter. When did it stop being year-round? Would you enter the park through the main gates to do this in the winter, or was there a separate gate somewhere?

KIs safari area was still like that at least as of 08. It's just so overgrown you can't see it on the satellite photos now. There are still a couple buildings out there and the TALL fencing is there in parts.

5 hours ago, BoddaH1994 said: Another amazing blog! I always feel like I know so much about KI and then people like you and @Shaggy  show me that there are always so many details to the stories that we don’t even think about. Great work ... Can anyone confirm that KI’s Wild Animal Safari was opened year-round, as mentioned in the blog? I had heard that before, but never from a first hand source. I know that in the later years KI partnered with the Cincinnati Zoo, so a lot of the animals went there in the winter. When did it stop being year-round? Would you enter the park through the main gates to do this in the winter, or was there a separate gate somewhere?

First of all, thank you for your kind words. I’m really glad everyone is enjoying these blog posts!

In regards to your question...yes, it was open year-round. I can’t remember exact dates of the articles off the top of my head, but it was mentioned several times in the Cincinnati Enquirer in 1974. The International Restaurant was also open year-round.

• 2 weeks later...

AFAIK The Lion Country Safari was never opened year-round at KI.  It was intended to, but never did.  The park issued a press release the first week of October 1974 indicating the attraction would be open weekends only through November (originally intended for daily operations) and then closed for the winter months.  (Mostly because the area was bracing for a hard winter - predicted by the farmers almanac.)

1 hour ago, Shaggy said: AFAIK The Lion Country Safari was never opened year-round at KI.  It was intended to, but never did.  The park issued a press release the first week of October 1974 indicating the attraction would be open weekends only through November (originally intended for daily operations) and then closed for the winter months.  (Mostly because the area was bracing for a hard winter - predicted by the farmers almanac.)

Thanks. Yes, I just double-checked and you are correct. 

Hope you find the article interesting and feel free to use the info/pictures on Sit On It.

On 1/6/2018 at 5:16 PM, Magenta Lizard said: I can't believe he wasn't fired before the mauling. I can only hope it was that the incidents other than his leaving the vehicle were either not reported to his supervisors or were downplayed by those who witnessed them. Seriously, straddling a lion? Pulling their tails as a regular thing? What was wrong with him?!

You got to remember the times. Back then, kids could go roller skating in the streets with no helmets or pads. You could still whip your kids. Pregnant women smoked and drank. People smoked everywhere, including airplanes(gag). And lawyers didn't rule the world. Safety wasn't as big of a thing. Looking back, the guy clearly was asking for it. But then, they all probably had a good laugh about until he died. 

King Ding Dong

^ I remember people smoking in hospital rooms. Funny but not funny.  

XGatorHead 8904

When I was in elementary school, we went on a field trip to KI to ride the monorail.  It was my first time being in the park while it was closed; the only thing open was the monorail.  IIRC, our school was the only one there but I could very well be mistaken about that.  I was going to Hopewell Elementary at the time so this would have been 1st or 2nd grade in 1979-1981 or 4th or 5th grade in 1982 - 1984 (we had switched school districts in 3rd grade).  That's a field trip I'll always remember because it was so different to see the park absolutely quiet and I though it was so neat that they would open just for us.

Back then, my family only got to visit the park once a year using the tickets that my grandma got from working at KI. In addition to the park tickets, the employees were given tickets to the monorail too; I even received them when I started working at the park in '89, so I rode it every time I went back then.

And thanks for citing your sources.  I was going to ask for them too because a lot of those incidents sound like disciplinary issues that would have been kept within the park, but I can see how they were probably in the investigative reports that followed.

59 minutes ago, XGatorHead 8904 said: And thanks for citing your sources.  I was going to ask for them too because a lot of those incidents sound like disciplinary issues that would have been kept within the park, but I can see how they were probably in the investigative reports that followed.

As far as McCann's past incidents, with the exception of the clawing, no reports were written and they were only brought up in the statements from the fellow rangers.  

YOULLBEBACK

Could you imagine the liability of an attraction like this nowadays?  What a different world just a couple decades ago!

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Bedding down in the lion's den: Inside a new bubble lodge at an animal reserve that offers a taste of Africa... in the wilds of KENT

• Hannah Summers stays in the new Lookout Bubble at Port Lympne wildlife park
• 'We're close enough to snack on, were it not for an electric fence,' she writes
• READ MORE:  Wildlife expert livestreams being bitten by a lethal giant centipede

You could be forgiven for assuming that our first night away from our newborn would be a pretty wild affair.

And you’d be right.

My husband and I peep out from beneath the rumpled covers, eyes wide.

A low grumble builds into a long, hair-raising roar. Somewhere nearby, a handful of lions are letting Kent know they’re hungry.

We’re close enough to snack on — were it not for an electric fence. We’re camping in the new Lookout Bubble, a transparent domed abode that sits metres from Europe’s largest lion enclosure.

Port Lympne is a wildlife reserve formerly owned by the late zoo and casino tycoon John Aspinall.

While South-East England is an unlikely habitat for the rhinos, tigers, gorillas and lions, this is their patch.

A team of 57 keepers work to protect them day and night, before rewilding many in their natural habitats, including Tanzania and  Indonesia .

You can take a truck safari or wander between enclosures filled with tigers, baboons and ostriches on a day visit.

Or, if you stay overnight, there’s a chance to sleep in wigwams or treehouses — brilliant for families. But the Lookout Bubble was built with a more romantic agenda in mind.

The see-through dome is kitted out luxuriously, with a large bed draped in cosy throws, freestanding tub with geranium-scented Bamford bath soak, fiddle-leaf fig plants and comfy armchairs.

The rainshower and loo are discreetly tucked behind a zip-up panel.

While it’s tempting to bury ourselves under the duvet, you don’t go on safari to sleep.

Lookout Bubble bookings come with an electric golf buggy, so we whizz along paths mapped out on the 600 acres of Kent savannah.

Our neighbours are a pair of northern lynx with fluffy fur and large eyes, snoozing on the branch of a tree, as howler monkeys hoot and scream nearby.

We’ve been on safari in Africa, and I had wondered whether seeing lions, rhinos and giraffes beneath a dreary UK sky might be a little underwhelming. Not so.

In fact, it’s a chance to witness wildlife close up: every crinkle on the rhinos’ backs, every thick long lash over the giraffes’ eyes. On the giraffe safari, the ranger tells us how the animals’ tongues can grow up to half a metre long.

The giraffes sway towards the four-wheel drive and, inches from our faces, their tongues curl around the branches in our hands so they can feed on the leaves.

Later, we visit Rosie the rhino, who has lived here since 2011. I think back to a rhino I’d seen in Tanzania, at a reserve loved by the Obamas and Oprah Winfrey.

It had spent much of its early life in this very paddock at Port Lympne, and was one of the eight black rhinos that had been rewilded.

Nearby is the Gorilla Experience — some of the great apes have tiny babies. ‘This one is known for throwing sticks,’ Helen, the ranger, warns us. She’s worked here for more than two decades and has helped to rewild more than 70 gorillas.

We toss vegetables into the cages for the bigger apes, before the smaller ones scoop up the scraps.

Then onto the best bit: the big cats. We spot a tiger with huge paws and long whiskers sprawled languorously across a log.

Later, we revel in a relaxed meal of steaks, brownies and red wine, before navigating the pitch-black park in our golf buggy.

Tucked up in bed I hear the low rumble of a lion. It’s the last thing I hear before I drift off. Undisturbed sleep. The hallmark of an excellent night away.

TRAVEL FACTS 

Nightly rates at the Lookout Bubble start from £439 based on two sharing, including breakfast and use of a golf buggy. Other accommodation costs from £99 a night ( portlympne.com ).

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Lions have sex on top of safari truck full of people, wild video, roaring sex lions get busy on top of safari truck ... tourists take it all in.

A couple of lions felt the love so much that they started banging on top of a tourist safari truck ... and the people inside certainly got an eyeful and then some.

A group of tourists partaking in a South African safari were recently left stunned as 2 randy big cats made themselves at home atop their vehicle.

The male lion is seen mounting a resting female lion ... confirming their boinking session with a couple of growls. The jeep noticeably shakes from side to side as they do it ... sparking laughter and gasps from the tourists seated below.

The lions' intimacy didn't last too long ... with the lioness lying tired to the side as the king of the jungle eventually disconnected.

While the encounter may have given some tourists the ick on the spot ... it's significantly less scary than the African elephant attack from earlier this month -- which ended in a death.

No one died here ... just a couple of kitties getting laid!

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