Everyone expects the king of the jungle to look like royalty, but even lions can have a terrible day at work, and judging by his mane, he must have had a difficult night. A wildlife photographer captured the amusing moment on video, and people can’t stop grinning when they see the photos.
Tonga, one of the 77 lions who reside in the Glen Garriff Conservation, a wildlife park near Harrismith, South Africa, epitomizes grandeur. This time, though, he is far from magnificent. The big male has just awoken, and his formerly magnificent mane now appears to require the services of a hairdresser.
Wildlife photographer Simon Needham, was at the right place at the right time, and captured the disheveled lion on camera!
“I had to wait for Tonga to wake up from his nap but when he did he looked completely out of it so I had to capture that moment,” the photographer explained. “I had to laugh, he looked dazed and confused for a second before he shook himself off.”
This isn’t the first time the British photographer has captured the people of Glen Garriff Conservation. A sequence of his images of Moya, another stunning lion, went popular online over a year ago. Needham hopes to raise awareness about the plight of African lions in the wild through his work.
“I shoot for numerous animal organizations,” the photographer explained, “and this image was shot for GG Conservation in South Africa to assist them to market themselves for fundraisers.”
“I’m thrilled to be a part of bringing much-needed exposure to a worthwhile cause at GG Conservation Glen Garriff, where they care for 77 lions.” People love to watch lions, but when one is in desperate need of a haircut, it elicits a lot of sympathies and a lot of laughter.”
Credit: Simon Needham
Glen Garriff Conservation is one of the few remaining places where they still “love, protect and preserve the magnificent lions.” You can help them on their mission, here!
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