Pictures in the rear view mirror may appear closer than they are

Except in this picture, yet another one from my time in the crater last Wednesday. In this picture the lions were closer than they appear. One lion pride decided that our car offered great shade and 7 grown lions descended on our car. Ifura (another lion researcher) was able to touch the back of one of the lions and another lion’s tail hit the rear view mirror. With 3 females lying on my side of the car, trying to eek out an ounce of shade I rolled up my window. Good thing, because one of the males walked over and looked right in my window (nose basically touching the window and he was tall enough that he could look straight in the land rover!). I don’t have a picture though; I was too busy leaping into the lap of Dennis on the other side of the car. Somehow a windowpane is not thick enough for comfort when a male lion is staring right at you.