# @paulnicklen on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DLFuwPsM-NE
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/31662459-paulnicklen-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/8eb3b703b5.jpg
- **Posted:** 2025-06-19T16:44:46.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Paul Nicklen (@paulnicklen) — https://gondola.cc/paulnicklen

## Caption

The lions of the Namiri Plains spend long hours grooming one another, partly for the hygienic benefits, but mostly to reinforce the bonds that hold the pride together. During heavy rains, they drink the fresh droplets that collect on each other’s coats, a shared behavior that helps them stay hydrated while strengthening trust. They rest together on the kopjes where the rocks stay warm long after the sun slips away. When the ecosystem is healthy and prey is abundant, cubs grow up under the care of mothers, aunts, and older siblings, while the dominant males patrol their family’s territory. Every member has a role to play and every gesture has meaning in a landscape where where survival is shaped by cooperation. AsiliaAfrica #NamiriPlains

## Stats

- **Views:** 0
- **Likes:** 45,896
- **Shares:** 0
- **Comments:** 202

## Tags

namiriplains

---
Copyright (c) Gondola