A Memorable Encounter in the Masai Mara

# A Memorable Encounter in the Masai Mara

On two separate occasions, I had the privilege of witnessing truly remarkable wildlife moments in the Masai Mara—unaware at the time that the scenes unfolding before me would later be captured in photographs featured in both a book and a newspaper. It was only upon seeing those publications that I fully grasped the significance of what I had experienced.

In both instances, I knew I was experiencing something remarkable. But it was only when I saw those published photographs that the true rarity and fortune of those moments really sank in.

## The First Encounter – 2011

The first occasion occurred in 2011 *(I’ll share details of the second experience in a future blog post)*. 

At the time, I was utterly captivated—some might say obsessed—with East African wildlife and everything the Masai Mara had to offer. However, I had not yet fully developed my current passion for wildlife photography. In hindsight, the photos I took that day with my Canon PowerShot compact camera were likely one of the key catalysts for that passion. 

We were sitting in our Land Rover, observing a coalition of four male lions as they hunted and brought down a lone buffalo. These males had only recently been seen in the area for the first time, but they would go on to dominate multiple prides and territories in the northern Mara, including the world-renowned Marsh Pride, for many years. 

I managed to capture a few images from that day—photos I remain extremely proud of.

## A Familiar Face in the Next Vehicle

As the dramatic scene unfolded before us, something else caught my attention and made the moment even more memorable.

In the vehicle next to ours, photographing the same hunt, was none other than one of my all-time heroes—and someone firmly on my “dream dinner party” guest list: the award-winning photographer, author, and television presenter, **Jonathan Scott**.

Together with his wife, Angela, Jonathan has spent decades documenting the lives of lions, leopards, and cheetahs in the Masai Mara National Reserve. Their extraordinary work has brought these animals to life through drawings, photographs, and acclaimed wildlife documentaries.

Jonathan is perhaps best known as a presenter on the long-running BBC nature documentary series *Big Cat Diary* (also known as *Big Cat Week* or *Big Cat Live*).

## A Happy Discovery

About a year after our encounter, I purchased one of Jonathan and Angela’s latest books *(as I have with all of their publications)*: 

**_Scarface: The Real Lion King_** (Cambridge University Press, 21 Jan 2016). 

[View the book on ISBNdb] (https://isbndb.com/book/9781107560475)

To my delight, when I opened the book and flipped through the pages, I was thrilled to discover a couple of photographs taken during the very scene I had witnessed.

> *Due to copyright restrictions, I’m unsure whether I’m technically allowed to include the photo here (and I will remove it if requested), but I hope the authors and publishers won’t mind my saying that this is a truly fantastic book.*

Aimed at young readers developing independence, it combines fascinating text with stunning photography. I cannot recommend it highly enough—especially for children and teenagers with an interest in lions.

In fact, in my view, **any** book by Jonathan and Angela Scott is worth reading. They are true masters at blending educational, engaging narratives with breathtaking imagery.

Here are a few more of my images from that day:

References: 

https://www.jonathanangelascott.com/about

Cambridge Reading Adventures Scarface: The Real Lion King Gold Band

Jonathan and Angela Scott

Cambridge University Press, 21 Jan 2016 - Juvenile Nonfiction - 24 pages

https://isbndb.com/book/9781107560475

Cambridge Reading Adventures Scarface: The Real Lion King Gold Band