Dr Shivani Bhalla

Founder / Executive Director, Ewaso Lions

“It has to be lions. After getting to know the lions in Samburu for almost two decades now, nothing fascinates me more than these elusive lions in northern Kenya.

Often we expect to see lions in prides being a ‘social cat’. However, most lions in northern Kenya are solitary, including the females. Watching them survive here alone – females hunting by themselves; raising cubs alone without support from others; only coming out at night; avoiding humans and settlements – makes these lions a challenge to photograph but also provides a special opportunity to capture this unique behaviour of survival in challenging landscapes.

Often people say that all they see are lions sleeping all day but nothing could be further from the truth here. Lions here are mostly active, finding ways to survive alongside pastoralists. Males are often solitary too, navigating huge terrain in search for females and food. The males are maneless, making them an even more attractive subject to photograph.”

Photo by Dr Shivani Bhalla