Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the usually busy streets and public places have been devoid of humans, and the animals are having the time of their lives.
Richard Sowry, a park ranger of South Africa’s Kruger National Park snapped a pride of lions napping on a road which would’ve been busy with tourists on a usual day. Like all other wildlife parks, Kruger has been closed to the public since March 25 as a part of coronavirus lockdown.
Amidst the lockdown, Mr. Sowry continues to perform an essential service, ensuring the safety of the animals in the national park and guarding against poachers. He spotted the pride of lions while driving near Orpen rest camp, and took the photograph just 5 meters away from the pride.
The lions were seemingly unbothered by the presence of the photographer. According to Mr. Sowry, lions are most used to people in vehicles. He also added, “All animals have much more of an instinctive fear of people on foot, so if I had walked up they would never have allowed me to get so close.”
“This lion pride are usually resident on Kempiana Contractual Park, an area Kruger tourists do not see. This afternoon they were lying on the tar road just outside of Orpen Rest Camp,” tweeted Kruger National Park.
Lions were also seen wandering in the Shukuza Golf Club within Kruger National Park, taking advantage of the lack of tourists.
Even as the sun rises, without all our human visitors, the urge to sing the ‘lion sleeps tonight’ is just a whim away, a whim away, a whim away!
? ©️ Jean Rossouw; Skukuza Golf Club , Kruger National Park@SANParks pic.twitter.com/M9XiagVqjX— Kruger National Park (@SANParksKNP) April 13, 2020
Though it’s upsetting that these wildlife centers are closed for the public, its great to see wild animals enjoying their well-deserved freedom.
Reading, creative writing, poetry writing, and language learning have been my passions since I was young. I have won many Japanese and Chinese language competitions, and many national-level creative writing, art & oratory competitions too. I am still schooling, and passed my O/Levels with distinction passes for English Literature, Japanese, and English. I have also completed my Certificate of Human Resource Management.
