Alison Langevad, The King (ANIMAL 2023)

It was a special morning photographing wildlife in Ol Pejeta, Kenya. The call of the ‘king’ hung heavily in the cold air. It was a vocalisation so powerful that I could actually feel it vibrating in my chest. The magnificent male lion who was calling did not have to wait long before a female from his pride appeared. As the two lions mated throughout the morning, they were ever watchful of another male lion close by. The intruder followed them persistently, waiting for the right moment to mount a challenge for the female. While the scene of aggression that followed between the ‘king’ and the female lion had all the signs of a lover’s tiff, it is an integral part of the mating ritual. This aggressive display of dominance was not missed by the intruder, who became reluctant to challenge the 'king' for his 'queen'.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.