Photo and caption by Kendra Antonides

A mere breath away from the scarred face of a male lion in Zimbabwe's Antelope Park near Gweru, one can cut the tension with a knife. Nine adult lions are allowed to naturally establish a dominance system during the 'free for all' feeding time. These lions are developing critical survival skills before release into semi-wild conditions. Visitors to the park support conservation efforts such as a lion breeding program or feeding, all part of Lion Encounter under ALERT (African Lion Environmental Research Trust).

Location: Antelope Park near Gweru, Zimbabwe