Its Hard To Keep My Eyes Open! - a photo on Flickriver

            Ahhh..bliss! Cats of all sizes, domestic or apex predator, such as this magnificent full-grown male lion enjoy the sunshine.
Today is a beautiful late Summer's day - about 27C with a gentle breeze, compared to the horrific super hot days with gale force hot winds of the recent past in Melbourne, Victoria.

I wasn't able to time my photos to get open-mouthed teeth baring - it is hit and miss!
Still, it is beautiful to watch.

This magnificent male lion is about 240 Kg in weight, as big as a lion gets! He is 7 years old, I think I remember reading, and definitely in the peak of his powers.
And he has three other magnificent males to keep him company in the Lion Park at Royal Melbourne Zoo.

A little later this fellow and one of his brothers, just out of camera shot, gave a wonderful example of the terror of the lions roar at close quarters.

All four of Royal Melb Zoo's magnificent lions are brothers, and usually are very affectionate towards each other. They spend much time together rubbing and nestling together.
As brothers do, of course, they also have their moments of fighting! Especially over food.
Once they have eaten their fill, then they are as gentle as a kitten!

Inevitably the after dinner activity is a sleep. In fact, lions, even in the wild, sleep an average of 20 hours per day sleeping. 
Better to be an apex predator than the prey animal that must spend its days browsing on vegetation!

It was truly fascinating to witness all four huge lions, all brothers, suddenly transform from sleepyheads into roaring lions!

Royal Melbourne Zoo, Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

   

Taken on: February 28, 2009

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Sets appears in: • Lions • Royal Melbourne Zoo more » • Big Cats « less

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Camera: Olympus E-520, f/6.3, 1/400 sec, 300mm, ISO 200 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Olympus E-520
Aperture:	f/6.3
Exposure Time:	0.003 sec (1/400)
Focal Length:	300mm
ISO:	200
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Auto, Did not fire, Red-eye reduction
Exposure Program:	Program AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Center-weighted average
White Balance:	Manual
Light Source:	Fine Weather
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	QuickTime 7.6
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