The Senators and Us

The members of our group had seen photos and video of the lions of Gorongosa but we were eager to see them in person.  Where were they?  After a very full day on Wednesday of our stay, we climbed into two vehicles for our evening game drive.  Our guides were determined to find lions for us.  We took off in different directions and kept in contact by radio.  Finally we got the call that the other vehicle had found lions.  Our guide raced down the dirt roads then headed off cross country until we found the other vehicle . . . and the lions.

Lying on the ground close to each other were two adult male lions, brothers, known as the Senators.  Both of them were wearing tracking collars because they are part of the park’s lion study.  I was amazed at how close we were able to get to them.  They looked at us and then mostly ignored us.  All of the other animals we had seen up to this point were not happy to see us and would often run away.  Not these two.  They were totally blasé about our presence.  They even yawned.  We had plenty of time to take photos and just sit and admire these beautiful boys.

It was getting dark so it was time to return to camp.  Our guide, Castro, started up our vehicle and the other guide, Monte, tried to start up his.  And he tried again, but it wouldn’t start.  He had left the lights on and the battery was dead.  Of course they didn’t have jumper cables.  Monte convinced Castro to give his vehicle a push.  Castro backed up our vehicle into the back of Monte’s vehicle and began to push.  No luck.  The engine would not turn over.

While our guides were concentrating on the vehicles, we were watching the lions.  These two guys who had been ignoring us were suddenly very interested.  As we moved, their heads moved together following the movement of the vehicles.  The look on their faces was along the lines of “What the heck?!?”  What were these crazy humans doing?

Gorongosa is a wild park.  You can’t just call AAA for a jump.  We couldn’t get out and walk.  And it was getting darker.  Castro drove our vehicle right up next to the other one.  One by one people climbed across to our vehicle.  Nobody stepped foot on the ground.  There were wild animals out there . . . like lions.  We had 20 people in a safari vehicle designed for 10 people.  I think somebody took a photo.  We looked like something out of a comedy routine.  During all this, one of the lions got up and walked a bit farther off.  Perhaps we were too much for him.

Despite our pleas, Monte decided to stay with the vehicle.  We learned later that he felt he needed to stay there with the radio so they could find the vehicle again.  So we returned to camp without Monte.  Later, while we were eating dinner, some of the staff showed up and we learned that Monte and the vehicle were rescued and had safely returned to camp.  The next day we were told that they were now carrying jumper cables.