A Huge Lion Surprised The Photographer With A Terrifying Roar, Then Smiles At Him

As an animal enthusiast, there is no finer job than that of a wildlife photographer. They are always given the opportunity to have one-of-a-kind, once-in-a-lifetime encounters with Mother Nature and her gorgeous species! Gren Sowerby is one of the fortunate. The 69-year-old wildlife photographer from the United Kingdom has dedicated the last four decades of his life to his hobby.

Gren acknowledges he has the ideal work, and every time spent around the wild beasts is a pleasure. Nonetheless, last month in Maasai Mara, Kenya, he received the “shock of his life.” The seasoned photographer was on safari when he noticed a beautiful lion about 40-50 feet away. Naturally, he prepared for some stunning photographs with the forest monarch. Only the king chose to play tricks with Gren.

“I lent in to take a photograph when he let out a huge roar — I got the shock of my life,” Sowerby told the South West News Service. “He roared to say: ‘I’m the King of the Jungle’ and then I couldn’t believe it when he smiled at me like when someone winks at you to say like: ‘Haha!'”

The massive lion startled the photographer with a terrifying roar, then began to smile at him. Of course, no matter how terrifying it was, Gren stayed and captured the unusual scene! “I was very pleased with the photos, but I didn’t look at them properly until I got home.” I go on these safaris on a regular basis and love capturing wildlife. “They grew up around the safari, so they’re used to cars and tourists,” says Gren Sowerby. “The King of the Jungle is always something you’ve got to capture and I’m so pleased I got the shot.”

This isn’t the first time when a ferocious lion is showing his playful side, though. Earlier this year a video of a lion waking up a lioness in a truly hilarious way, went viral on social media. Check it out!