No photos please: This lion covers his face with a giant paw to play hide and seek - or the photographer's attention was proving too much for himLions may be the kings of the jungle but this one has come over a little bashful all of a sudden.
Covering his eyes with an enormous paw, the lion was either finding the intense African heat in Rwanda too much, or he was feeling camera shy.
The retiring lion then settled down to keep his cub company in the undergrowth as the sun went down, but always kept an careful eye out for predators or potential dinner.
Resting with his cub: The lion shares a tender moment in the wilds of Rwanda, AfricaThe lion's hide and seek moment was captured up close by amateur photographer Nelis Wolmarans in Sabyinyo, near the borders of Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Mr Wolmarans, who runs a gorilla trekking lodge in Rwanda, said: 'He covered his eyes as if to hide himself. It was a really unique moment.'
Seeing a lion, known for their ferociousness, looking vulnerable has captured people's imaginations.
'The reactions to the shy lion picture have been overwhelmingly positive,' he said.
Majestic: Keeping an eye out, the lion's beautiful mane took on a reddish colour in the sunsetContrary to popular belief, lions spend large parts of their day resting, conserving energy ready to hunt prey.
Males like this one can grow up to around six-and-a-half foot in length and weigh between 265 and 420 lbs.
This lion was careful to lie down behind his cub, keeping an eye out to protect him from harm. He will also have a responsiblity to protect his whole pride's territory, which can stretch over some 100 square miles.
In recent years, Rwanda has had to bring lions and rhinos over from South Africa.
Their numbers of lions, as well as other wildlife, had become dangerously low after widespread poaching.
The wars of the 1990s had a devastating effect on the wildlife as animals were hunted in ever larger numbers.
source: dailymail
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