In Namibia, a group of desert lions have left their traditional hunting grounds for the Atlantic coast, to become the world’s only maritime lions. One photographer captured this dramatic change in behaviour.

It is an incredibly striking photo: a lioness gazes into the distance on a pebbled beach in Namibia as tempestuous waves crash in the background. She guards her prey, just out of view – the carcass of a Cape fur seal.

Belgian photographer Griet Van Malderen captured this dramatic shot of Gamma, one of Namibia’s desert lions who has learned to hunt seals to survive in the harsh environment of the Skeleton Coast. Her photo was highly commended at the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, run by the Natural History Museum in London.

“She was guarding the seal all day,” Van Malderen says, who spent days waiting to capture the shot, watching Gamma from her car. “It’s really amazing to see how their behaviour is starting to change.”

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20251009-the-photo-showing-namibias-desert-lions-living-on-the-beach

dv said:

In Namibia, a group of desert lions have left their traditional hunting grounds for the Atlantic coast, to become the world’s only maritime lions. One photographer captured this dramatic change in behaviour.

It is an incredibly striking photo: a lioness gazes into the distance on a pebbled beach in Namibia as tempestuous waves crash in the background. She guards her prey, just out of view – the carcass of a Cape fur seal.

Belgian photographer Griet Van Malderen captured this dramatic shot of Gamma, one of Namibia’s desert lions who has learned to hunt seals to survive in the harsh environment of the Skeleton Coast. Her photo was highly commended at the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, run by the Natural History Museum in London.

“She was guarding the seal all day,” Van Malderen says, who spent days waiting to capture the shot, watching Gamma from her car. “It’s really amazing to see how their behaviour is starting to change.”

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20251009-the-photo-showing-namibias-desert-lions-living-on-the-beach

No comment in that article on how the appearance of a new predator will impact their prey, but it’s unlikely to be beneficial:

>She is now three-and-a-half years, “almost an adult,” she says, adding that the lioness has become a fearsome hunter capable of killing 40 seals in a single night.

I’m worried they might become sentient.
Shakes fist at AI.

Peak Warming Man said:

I’m worried they might become sentient.
Shakes fist at AI.

Yeah, theses aquatic felines are not good news for us aquatic apes.