Camera: Nikon Z9

Lens: Nikon 100-400

Aperture: f/6.3

Shutter speed: 1/2000sec

ISO: 1250

Description: Lioness holding onto baby gazelle whilst still alive

Story from behind the lens: Lionesses are known for their hunting prowess, and when they successfully make a kill, they often don't keep their prey alive. Instead, they typically work together to bring down the prey efficiently and then consume it immediately.

In some rare cases, a lioness might not immediately kill her prey but rather immobilize it to keep it from escaping. This can occur when a lioness is teaching her cubs to hunt. She may capture prey and allow her cubs to practice their hunting skills on it. However, even in such cases, the prey is eventually killed and consumed.

It's important to note that lions are wild animals, and their behavior is driven by survival instincts and the need to feed themselves and their pride. Keeping a live kill for an extended period would be highly unusual.

Here we encountered a lioness who kept the baby gazelle alive by keeping it between its paws and tail. It constantly kept a watch on it. There were no other pride members or cubs around so we are not sure of what eventually happened to the gazelle.