Beads of Blood

The challenging and defiant look of a lioness defending her kill.
 
Taken in the Serengeti National Park when the wildebeest migration was at its peak, we came across this young lioness just as she pounced on a fully-grown adult wildebeest. Unfortunately, her inexperience meant that the kill was not completely clean, and her breakfast was fresh as can be. As we re-angled the vehicle, she put her paw possessively over the wildebeest and gave us this intense stare. The beads of blood covering her face and muzzle make for a powerful image, reminding us that although nature is beautiful, it is also brutal.