"We woke up on a gloomy day with heavy clouds and rain in Kruger National Park. It was the second day of our stay in the private nature reserve of Ingwelala in South Africa.
Our plan for the day was to locate and photograph lions. Greg Parker and I set out in our own vehicle. Greg, a passionate photographer, had visited Kruger many times before and was a longtime resident of South Africa."
"We decided to venture into the area where we had spotted a herd of elephants near the Rabelias Dam waterhole close to Orpen Camp the previous day. As soon as we arrived, our attention was captured by a large male lion sitting regally on the edge."
"When the camera clicked, we sensed that there was something unusual about the majestic lion. Through the lens, we noticed that his left hind leg was swollen, and the angle looked peculiar. After drinking water, it was evident that he could hardly stand on his feet. While he was quenching his thirst, we failed to realize that this lion was nothing but skin and bones."
"It retreated from the waterhole slowly and unsteadily, like a drunkard stumbling toward a tiny patch of ground. After each step, it had to pause for a moment to catch its breath, its head hanging low until it gathered enough strength to take a few more steps. Upon reaching the dry land, it turned back towards the waterhole and lowered itself gently onto the ground."
"The moment it bent halfway, it collapsed completely. This image portrayed that this lion had reached the final days of its life, or perhaps the very last moments it drew breath."
While we continued observing the once-mighty and majestic lion, the herd of elephants approached the waterhole. They drank water, played around, and splashed water into the air, cooling themselves off on hot days.
One of the larger elephants separated from the herd and headed toward the patch of land where the lion lay, as if it were guarding its own herd. Initially, it didn't notice the lion concealed in the grass about 30 meters away, trying to avoid attention.
Afterward, the elephant noticed the presence of the old lion. Its ears perked up, and it waved its trunk repeatedly while taking a few steps back. The elephant let out a loud trumpet, signaling the presence of the lion. All the other elephants followed suit, trumpeting and raising their trunks in the air, charging toward the old lion.
Perhaps in its glorious and powerful days, the lion could have stood proudly, roaring with all the air in its lungs. But now, with its strength dwindling, it mustered the last bit of energy to rise and run away.
As everything quieted down, Greg and I drove around searching for the lion. We found it lying on the grass, exhausted and motionless. We were only about 1.5 meters away from it as it lay beneath a tree. We put down our cameras, and our eyes met, locked in a gaze that seemed endless. I wanted it to know that in the moment of its labored breaths, struggling chest, it wasn't alone. And its ear twitched lightly one more time, exhaling its final breath. It was gone. The king was dead.
In that moment, I captured scenes of humanity losing everything in earthquakes, in fires and landslides, where people could be injured or even lost. But I had never photographed anything as mournful as this majestic creature, a king of the animal kingdom and the ruler of its territory. I will never forget the privilege of witnessing this sight.
Afterward, we were informed that this noble lion was named Skybed Scar. He had once ruled the Kruger National Park for many years. He lived a life of freedom, and when he lay down, he left without a fuss.
Our plan for the day was to locate and photograph lions. Greg Parker and I set out in our own vehicle. Greg, a passionate photographer, had visited Kruger many times before and was a longtime resident of South Africa."
"We decided to venture into the area where we had spotted a herd of elephants near the Rabelias Dam waterhole close to Orpen Camp the previous day. As soon as we arrived, our attention was captured by a large male lion sitting regally on the edge."
One of the larger elephants separated from the herd and headed toward the patch of land where the lion lay, as if it were guarding its own herd. Initially, it didn't notice the lion concealed in the grass about 30 meters away, trying to avoid attention.
In that moment, I captured scenes of humanity losing everything in earthquakes, in fires and landslides, where people could be injured or even lost. But I had never photographed anything as mournful as this majestic creature, a king of the animal kingdom and the ruler of its territory. I will never forget the privilege of witnessing this sight.