As the strict lockdown continues in South Africa’s vast Kruger national park, lions and other wild animals have been taking advantage of the peace. Park ranger Richard Sowry took photographs of a pride of at least eight lions, including a few young cubs, snoozing on the tarmac just outside one of the park’s rest lodges.
Kruger media officer Isaac Phaala told the lions would normally be in the bushes but that they were “very smart and now they are enjoying the freedom of the park without us”.The lions liked the road because it was dry.
The park explained that the pride was not usually resident in areas of the park open to tourists – let alone accustomed enough to cars to generally sleep in the middle of the road near a busy exit and entrance.
Earlier in the week, Jean Rossouw, captain of the Skukuza golf club located within the park, captured early-morning videos and images of lions and hyenas on the green. Lionesses stopped to drink from ponds on the course, eyed and chased hyenas.
