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Lance van de Vyver's Image
Lance had been tracking the pride for several hours when they happened across this pangolin and started to ‘roll it around like a soccer ball’. Lance focused in on this young lion’s claws and the pangolin’s scratched scales, black-and-white simplified the composition. It would be 14 hours until the lions finally lost interest in the pangolin.
Curling into a ball, the pangolin’s armour plating creates an impregnable barrier. These unusual animals often escape unscathed from big cats, but this one, although not appearing to be injured, unfortunately died shortly after. Perhaps the stress and being in the heat all day were too much for this nocturnal creature.
Behind the lens
Lance van de Vyver
New Zealand / South Africa
Lance was born and raised in New Zealand, but his South African roots and passion for wildlife led him to move to South Africa to pursue his dream of becoming a photographic guide. Working as a field guide since 2013, he is getting closer to his goal of specialising in photographic safaris.
Image details
- Canon EOS 5DS R
- 500mm f4 lens
- 1/1600 sec at f4
- Tswalu Private Game Reserve, Kalahari, South Africa
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