Sure going to miss her

Gallery: Man & NaturePosted November 4, 2009261 views11 comments

While sitting with a pride of lion in the Masa Mara, Kenya my wife's hat with a flamingo feather flower blew off of her head while she was standing up through the hatch and landed 15 to 20 feet out in front of our vehicle. In the most amazing burst of speed I've ever witnessed, a lioness came off of her resting place to the side of the Rover and met the hat as it hit the ground. A distance of about 25 feet. She only had the hat for about 15 seconds before she dropped it, realizing it wasn't edible. Her male cub, however, immediately picked up the hat and laid claim to it. Layed back down for a shot with the hat. He then tried to get every one of the cubs in the pride to play tug of war with it with little success. After 30 minutes and about a mile, he grew tired of playing with it solo and dropped it. As the pride moved off a safe distance we were able to retrieve the hat.
Hope you enjoy it!

Neil Rossmiller
Hoytsville, Utah

Comments

11 comments

Comment posted by Raymond Klassen on November 4, 2009 at 7:41 PM

Great story, and an incredible photo to go with it. The flower sure stands out against the browns in the photo.

Registered on November 30, 2008, 114 Posts, 790 Comments

Comment posted by Eva McDermott on November 4, 2009 at 8:08 PM

Great image Neil and a great story to go along with it.

Registered on January 4, 2009, 1015 Posts, 13229 Comments

Comment posted by Marsel van Oosten on November 5, 2009 at 3:03 AM

Great story Neil, and a very nice souvenir to prove it.

Registered on March 9, 2004, 285 Posts, 2277 Comments

Comment posted by David Schwaegler on November 5, 2009 at 8:07 AM

Fascinating story and excellent image.

Registered on December 4, 2003, 232 Posts, 1652 Comments

Comment posted by john hansen on November 5, 2009 at 1:42 PM

fun story with a fun shot. The out of place bright colors make for a cool shot.

Registered on September 11, 2007, 95 Posts, 369 Comments

Comment posted by Catherine Reilly on November 5, 2009 at 2:43 PM

Thanks for the story and the cutest photo. Which one of the souveneirs is the most prized? The hat or the photo? Be great to frame 'em together with your story.

I can't guess whether the cub's expression says with pride, "Ha-hah, I got it," and hopes the others are jealous, or whether he's planning more mischief. In either case it looks like he's up to something.

Registered on August 16, 2006, 603 Posts, 9192 Comments

Comment posted by Larry Reitz on November 5, 2009 at 7:53 PM

What a great picture and story to go with it! He looks like a family pet protecting his favorite toy.
Larry Reitz

Registered on September 7, 2007, 32 Posts, 335 Comments

Comment posted by Neil Rossmiller on November 6, 2009 at 8:24 AM

Catherine,
A series of 5 5x7's are framed in a single frame and hanging in our living room with the hat hanging from the corner of the frame. I enjoy it daily.
Glad you enjoyed it as well!

Neil

Registered on October 30, 2009, 156 Posts, 749 Comments

Comment posted by Koveh Tavakkol on November 6, 2009 at 11:51 AM

Nice capture Neil... the flower adds some nice color to the scene!

Registered on September 1, 2009, 41 Posts, 608 Comments

Comment posted by JohannesMeintjes on November 7, 2009 at 7:40 PM

What an amazing experience this must have been.
Wonderful capture and experience.

Registered on May 5, 2009, 1 Posts, 7 Comments

Comment posted by Andre Joanisse on November 8, 2009 at 8:45 PM

Really enjoyed the story and the photo Neil, well caught.

Registered on October 15, 2006, 4 Posts, 81 Comments