The King Basks in Belfast

I had a brilliant trip up to Belfast Zoo last year and managed to catch this lad soaking up the rare sunshine. Usually, when you visit the big cats, they are fast asleep in the furthest corner of the enclosure (I can’t blame them, to be fair), but the lighting here was just perfect.

The way the light hits his face really brings out the texture of his mane. It’s a sobering thought, but the lions at Belfast Zoo are Barbary lions. While they look absolutely majestic here on the grass, this specific subspecies is actually extinct in the wild. It makes seeing them up close feel like a real privilege. He looked so relaxed, almost squinting into the sun, looking every bit the King of Beasts. There is nothing quite like the golden eyes of a lion staring right back at you!