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One day we were safari-ing in Ngorongoro when Baraka “He’s just looking for water,” Baraka assured her, so matter-
made a quick stop. Out of the low grassland that covers most of-factly he could have been ordering coffee. And, in fact,
of the 100-square-mile collapsed volcanic crater (one of Tan- the lion walked by us, oblivious to potential hors d’oeuvres
zania’s world wonders) a male lion, it’s massive head framed crossed the road, drank from a puddle of water then ambled
by a multicolored mane, sauntered up. off toward a nervous herd of wildebeests.

Sauntered up to the Cruiser’s passenger side -- Jody’s side, Every big cat encounter is special. We saw lion cubs nursing
the windows-rolled-down-side, the easy-bite-for-lunch side and lions mating. (Ten seconds max, and no foreplay.) We
– until the Lion King was so close Jody could have reached saw a mama cheetah teaching her two cheetah kids to stalk
down and scratched his head. “Baraka,” she said, leaning a line of zebras in the Serengeti. We saw a leopard dragging a
nervously back into the truck, “should I at least close the Thompson’s gazelle across a rain-swept grassland stopping
window?” every few yards to check for competitors and catch its breath.

164 WDT MAGAZINE SPRING 2017