Lion vs Lizard - at Mombo Camp

This is a sequence of images from one of my favourite lion sightings ever, taken at Mombo Camp on Chief's Island. A Rock Monitor [lizard] strolled out of the nearby floodplain and straight into a pride of lions that we were viewing. There were a number of cubs and sub-adult lions in the pride who spotted the lizard first then followed by the adults. The lions simply could not believe the audacity of a lizard to walk in amongst the pride. Being unfamiliar with lizards and the audacious behaviour, the cubs were cautious and curious. The lizard of course has very little defence against a lion, it will fake death and if that doesn't work it uses its tail as a whip - and quite effectively.

At the end of this sighting the lizard walked free and unharmed!