By Mark McConville
NOT USUALLY known for their love of heights this family of lions have been captured lazing in a tree, risking their pride before a fall.
Stunning shots show the family of lions spread out across different branches as they try to take a cat nap.
Other incredible images show one lioness giving the camera a pithy look after being woken up, another resting its head in the fork of two branches and a large male lion waking up and come down from his sleeping spot.
The striking pictures were taken in Serengeti, Tanzania by financer David Chen (42), from Kfar Saba, Israel.
“When I was in the Serengeti, Tanzania during a safari we spotted a tree with dozens of lions on it,” he said.
“Most of them were sleeping or just resting, so I decided to try to take a series of photos capturing them in various positions
“We were in that spot for around three hrs, waiting for them to moves, or just play with each other.”
The lion prefers grassy plains and savannahs, scrub bordering rivers and open woodlands with bushes. It is absent from rainforest and rarely enters closed forest. Lions occur in savannah grasslands with scattered Acacia trees, which serve as shade.
David, who took these photos with a Nikon D810, explained the lions were probably seeking shelter from the heat.
“I took these pictures at noon and after which were the hottest hours of the day so the heat was a problem,” he said.
“I love wildlife photography because I’ve wanted to see the animals’ behaviour and interactions as it is very similar to our behaviour, especially when you see them express emotions.
“We got within 100 feet of the lions and it is amazing to see these animals in nature, especially in Serengeti when you get so many species and variety of animals.”
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