The Missed Kill: A Lioness, and the Antelope's Great Escape
Her Delicious Meal On Menu 🦁
As the golden sun dipped behind the acacia trees of Queen Elizabeth national park in Uganda, painting the sky in shades of amber and fire, the queen of the savannah rose from her slumber. The lioness had spent much of the day resting in the tall grass, conserving her energy like all seasoned hunters do. Lions are known for their lazy approach, why waste energy chasing when patience often rewards the silent stalker?
But this evening, hunger stirred her into motion.
Her amber eyes locked onto the open plains where her favorite meals grazed freely; impalas and a mascular male waterbuck. The lioness crouched low, her muscles coiled like springs under her sleek golden coat. Every step was calculated, silent, and deliberate. She had done this dance many times before. The wind was in her favor, carrying her scent away from the prey.
But nature, ever so unpredictable, played a different tune tonight.
Before she could close the distance, the impalas and waterbucks, always alert and quick-footed, caught a glimpse of danger. Maybe it was a rustle in the grass or a shift in the air. In an instant, the stillness broke. Panic spread like wildfire as the antelopes took off in synchronized bursts of speed leaping, dashing, twisting through the bush.
The lioness sprang forward with the strength of the wild, but her chances were slipping by the second. Impalas are swift. Waterbucks are strong and cautious. By the time she reached the open, they had already covered a good distance. She slowed down, her breathing heavy, the chase over before it could truly begin.
No meal tonight
But for me, it was a moment of awe and a beautiful display of the rawness of nature. The stillness before the chase. The intensity of the hunt. The grace of the escape. And in the middle of it all, I stood silently with my camera, lucky enough to witness and capture it.
I’ve shared some of my favorite shots each one telling a part of the story 📸.
Comment your favorite photograph and reshare if you enjoy my work.
High-resolution formats are available if you’re interested, feel free to reach out!🖼️
Thank you for following my journey into the wild, one frame at a time. 🌍📷