Too early for coffee? A thieving Lion enters a tent and steals a sleeping bag after interrupting the campers’ morning coffee.
44-year-old wildlife photographer Robert Hofmeyr and brother-in-law Andrew Caldwell had the sighting of their life in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. They shared their incredibly special moment with Latestsightings.com. Robert and Andy do frequent exhibitions to film wildlife in Africa and produce amusing, and sometimes informative behind-the-scenes videos.
“We spent the first night of our safari camping in Mabuasehube. We woke before the crack of dawn and began our preparations for the long day ahead. Brushing our teeth and preparing the coffee.”
“I happened to glance up, and there it was, a lion walking towards me out of the darkness!”
Mabuasehube is known for its wild camping and is one of the few places in Africa where one can find oneself camping in Lion territory with no fences and being situationally aware is key when going on safaris in these remote locations.
“The lion was a mere 8 meters from me when I spotted his glistening eyes in the beam of my headlight. We retreated to the safety of the vehicle.”
“Watching in awe as this magnificent Kalahari Lion walked right over our footprints and into our tent!”
“Andy and I drove slowly away from the Lion to recover the coffee that we had left on the tailgate of the vehicle, which was still open. Upon returning to our now-invaded tent. The lion, with Andy’s beloved pillow, strolls out with his prize and lies down in the grass next to our campsite.”
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“Shortly after abandoning Andy’s pillow, the lion returned to have a go at my sleeping bag. That’s where I draw the line. We drove up to the tent and honked in an attempt to scare him away. At least he dropped my sleeping bag, however, he was not prepared to leave empty-handed. Subsequently, he grabbed a camp chair, and into the bush he went.”
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Lions are typically wary of humans, however, curiosity and the smell of Robert and Andy’s tent may have persuaded this young male lion to investigate the comfort of their bedding.
“With the lion now out of sight, we cautiously zipped up the tent and headed out on our morning drive. When we returned a few hours later. We were able to salvage both the pillow and camping chair, both smothered in lion slobber. Now to inspect the crime scene within the tent. A ripped bag and mangled camping mattress made for a very interesting insurance claim.”
Lions in unfenced campsites within the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park are far too common and this is primarily due to the arid climate the Desert boasts. Water has become an easy resource for these large cats within the confines of human campsites. Furthermore, the next time you find yourself camping in an unfenced camp, always remember to keep a watchful eye on your surroundings and make sure to zip up that tent.