Мир в фотографии

Steve Winter.
NatGeo Wildlife + Conservation Photojournalist + Speaker with @NatGeo Live! My new story is out now in the Dec. @NatGeo Issue and online. Link in bio.
https://www.instagram.com/stevewinterphoto/
Lions mating Maasai Mara, Kenya
I love the shadow of the lioness, growling.
It is estimated that as many as 500 000 African lions roamed Africa at the turn of the century in 1900. Today the range of estimates lies between 20 - 30 000 individuals and most of these are constrained to seven key strongholds: Zambia, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and Mozambique. Recent data shows that Kenya holds an incredibly dense and important population in the Maasai Mara. This savanna system holds about 17 individuals per 100 km2, and migrating wildebeest and zebra are the key reason for this. Big cat populations (including lions) are strongly predicted by how many prey animals there are and for lions the key prey are wildebeest, zebra and in some places Cape buffalo. Even though rates of mortality in lion populations are high and cub survival is about 50% in the first year of life if you have a strong prey base lions will thrive. Follow @natgeo #bigcatsinitiative to find out how National Geographic is working across the African lions range to secure its populations for future generations. @natgeo @natgeoimagecollection
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