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King of the Beasts


King of the Beasts
Photo Information
Copyright: Janice Dunn (Janice) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3277 W: 148 N: 6163] (18832)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-09-04
Categories: Mammals
Camera: Canon EOS 300D, Tamron 28-300 XR
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2006-08-25 1:52
Viewed: 3860
Points: 24
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Panthera Leo

Auckland Zoo’s lions live on an island surrounded by a water moat – too wide for these cats to swim over – hopefully. To simulate natural feeding patterns these lions at Auckland Zoo are fed 4 times a week.

This "King of Beasts" once roamed over most parts of the world including Africa, North America and Eurasia. Today, however, they are restricted to the savanna, open expanses, and grassy plains of Africa, and to a small area of western India. There are about 15,000 lions in the wild today. Just ten years ago that number was closer to 50,000. The shrinking numbers are due to hunting and overpopulation of humans.

Lions live together in a pride based upon a group of related females (Lionesses) and their cubs. Surprisingly, the pride is led by a dominant female. When a new male joins a pride it will drive away the other males and kill any remaining cubs, then mate with the females to produce his own offspring.

A Lioness will give birth to up to six cubs after a gestation period of 15-17 weeks. All of the Lionesses in the pride share in the rearing of the cubs and the males may even be playful with them.

The males weigh around 200kg on average – or about 45 domestic cats. The mane protects his throat from attack; making him look bigger.

www.bigcatrescue.org/lion.htm
dew77, sAner, red45, TAZ, scottevers7, priyasri_80, wallhalla15, aido, marhowie has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To carper: Thank youJanice 1 08-25 17:11
To sAner: EXIFJanice 2 08-25 07:23
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4432 W: 248 N: 4028] (13270)
  • [2006-08-25 2:21]

Hello Janice,
Wonderful capture.I liked POV,pose of lion,lighting,proud expression on face and framing a lot.
TFS...:-)

  • Great 
  • sAner Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1455 W: 74 N: 1426] (4750)
  • [2006-08-25 2:49]
  • [+]

Hi Janice,

I really like this picture. The colors and the composition are perfect. Exposure is also very good. The DOF seems a little bit shallow'. What aperture did you use? Anyways, a very pleasing shot! Well done & TFS!

Regards,
Pieter

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2636 W: 74 N: 9091] (31094)
  • [2006-08-25 3:21]

Hi Janice!

Great photo of King. Lazy pose, majestic 'face'. Good lighting, colours and BG with spots of blue. Sad note. Only 15000 lions... humans are best predators or maybe rather devastators. Who knows, maybe in 2100 Lions will be like dinosaurs - known only from fossils and computer animations.

  • Great 
  • TAZ Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2241 W: 47 N: 3167] (10926)
  • [2006-08-25 3:30]

Wow ! The King ! Your shot is pleasant to see. Colors and exposure are good. Sharpness seems a bit soft on my screen but not a problem...
Comlpiments mon amie.

Hi Janice,
A very fine looking King! Beautiful colors and sharp detail in this shot. The filtered sunlight is soft and plseasinf. A gefal pose fit for a king. Well done!
Scott

Nice pic of the king. Well captured.
Priya

Hello Janice, excllent colors, Bg, POV DOF perfect details, excllent use of DOF perfect crisp and composed, TFS Kyle

it's a nice shot Janice.
a very good portrait of this king. the sharpness can be done better, but the composition is very good, well done.
gr. jaap

Very nice portrait shot Janice, great sharpness and POV/DOF, well captured too. Great colours an very nice bg. This is an excellent compositon. Thank you for posting.
Gr.
Heinz

Perfecct picture.

  • Great 
  • aido Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor [C: 1044 W: 156 N: 1218] (4046)
  • [2006-08-25 20:24]

Hello Janice,
Lovely shot of this noble Cat. Nicely framed against a natural looking background and nice eye-level POV and good angle showing us that huge shaggy mane. Good exposure and excellent colours, good detail although it looks just a little soft. Interesting note too, the estimated numbers vary but none of them are good. If we don't control our own population animals like these will be wiped out for sure. Great post.
Regards,
Adrian

The King reigns! :)
Great shot mf.
Cheers,
Howard

Hello,
Good foto composition.
But I think lion is the king of forest and the cruel king of beasts is human!

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