On November 16, 2007, photojournalist Lucilia Monteiro of the Portuguese magazine Visão was shooting photographs at Gorongosa National Park for an article that appeared in the December issue of the magazine when she encountered a pride of lions relaxing near Lion House. She has generously made these images available to share them with you.
The Lion House, a Gorongosa landmark, is a structure remaining from the so-called “old camp” located in the Sungue Plains. This camp was built in 1940 but was abandoned two years later once managers discovered that the site was subject to heavy flooding in the rainy season. One year, the intensity of the flooding sent water to the roof of one house! After the site was abandoned by people, prides of lions occupied the houses, terraces, and surrounding shade of the former camp, which then became one of the most proclaimed attractions of Gorongosa.
Lions have not been seen at Lion House for many years, so the photo documentation of their return to the famous site has generated much excitement among staff and supporters of Gorongosa National Park. Read on for some comments after we sent word about the lion’s return:
Que boa notícia! Penso que este acontecimento vos encoraja a fazerem as escadas para eles poderem subir ao terraço! -- Celestino Gonçalves (antigo Responsável pela Fiscalização do PNG durante os anos 60)
What great news! I think this incident encourages us to make stairs so that they can climb to the terrace on top of the building! -- Celestino Gonçalves (formerly responsible for scouts and security at GNP during the 1960s).
As fotos estão fantásticas! Adoraria ter tido a oportunidade de os ter visto. Depois de ter estado aí imagino a felicidade de os ver, principalmente na casa dos leões.-- Alexandra Ascenso (Veterinária que estagiou recentemente no PNG)
These photos are fantastic! I would have loved to have had the opportunity to see this sight. I can imagine how happy an occasion it was to see them, especially at the lion house. -- Alexandra Ascenso (Veterinarian who recently completed an apprenticeship at GNP)
É com enorme alegria que recebo esta notícia. Bom sinal, para já significa que a cadeia alimentar se está a reconstituir. Se existem leões existem forçosamente fontes alimentares. Espero que esse tando em breve fique salpicado com manchas de diversas cores (os brancos, os pretos, os castanhos...), correspondendo às diversas manadas que o devem repovoar. -- Manuel Romão (filho de um antigo Administrador do PNG nos anos 70)
I received this news with enormous happiness. It’s a good sign, for it signifies that the food chain is rebuilding. If there are lions, there must be ample food for them. I hope that the plains will soon be sprinkled with different colors (white, black, brown) corresponding to the diverse herds that will repopulate it. -- Manuel Romão (son of the former Administrator of GNP during the 1970s)
Maravilha. Muito reconfortante ver a evolução do PNG, porventura bem mais rápida do que o planeado. Para mim, que pouco entendo, é um passo enorme, pois onde há leões, há caça, onde há caça, há herbívoros, há bom habitat, i. é. onde há leões (topo da cadeia alimentar selvagem) tudo está bem. -- Luís Pereira (turista que nasceu na Beira e conheceu o PNG na sua infância, durante os anso 60)
Marvelous! It is very heartening to see the evolution of GNP, perhaps more quickly than was planned. For my part, from what little I know, it is a big step, for where there are lions, there is hunting, where there is hunting, there are herbivores and there is good habitat. In other words, where there are lions (the top of the food chain), all is well. -- Luís Pereira (tourist who was born in Beira and who was familiar with GNP during his youth in the 1960s)
Fantástico, ainda bem. É o resultado do vosso esforço. Parabéns -- Jorge Espada Simões (Director de Hotel em Maputo)
Fantastic, that’s great. This is the result of your strong effort. Congratulations. -- Jorge Espada Simões (Hotel Director in Maptuo)
E um muito bom sinal que os equilíbrios se vão restabelecendo paulatinamente.
Do meu ponto de vista é um sinal positivo do vosso tremendo esforço de reconstrução. Gostaria de felicitar a todos os sujeitos contribuintes dessa nobre ideia de restauração do Parque. Estão no caminho certo. Os meus PARABÉNS. -- Francisco Soares (especialista em Aeronáutica que visitou o Parque recentemente)
It is a great signal that the equilibrium is slowly reestablishing itself. From my point of view it is a positive sign of your tremendous reconstruction effort. I would like to congratulate all of the people who are contributing to this fine idea to restore the Park. You are on the right path. My CONGRATULATIONS. -- Francisco Soares (aeronautics specialist who visited GNP recently)