Portrait of a Warrior

Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. Nothing stirs the heart quite like a fine male lion seen early in the morning, his magnificent mane blowing in the wind, staring into the distance with piercing eyes. Nothing epitomizes the idea of the warrior spirit as perfectly as a lion. They are born to fight, endowed with  the power and strength and courage to meet adversaries  head on. All young males are forced from their pride at two to three years of age, wandering as nomads with their companions, waiting for the chance to challenge older, weaker or less numerous groups of resident males. Sometimes the pride males turn and run; sometimes they fight, particularly if they are in the heart of their territory. These battles are brutal affairs with rival individuals facing off while others try to get in behind to bite into spine and hips and legs, crippling their rivals or killing them. To see lions like this, their yellow eyes blazing, pupils enlarged to black holes, uttering terrifying growls and grunts and roars, mouths bloody, bodies lacerated with ripping wounds and thumb sized puncture holes from powerful claws and canines is to witness the reason that male lions are so much larger and powerful than females. They are warriors through and through. There is nothing more important than the chance to breed with lionesses. 

For more information about Jonathan & Angela Scott, check out their Artist Bio or visit their website at TheBigCatPeople.com.