Waiting for Mother

Irrespective of how old they are, female lion cubs never really stop needing their mothers - to teach them how to be a lion, hunt with them, comfort them, fight with them to defend the territory or for some good old-fashioned grooming.

This youngster is almost two, but she cut a lonely figure this evening, waiting for her mother to return. She was so preoccupied that she didn't even bat an eyelid when we drove up the path, right next to her. I got lucky with the clouds looming in over the horizon, adding some much-needed depth and drama to the portrait.

​Maasai Mara National Reserve, 2019