A grumpy male lion growled at his three cubs after they woke him up while play fighting with each other.
He was resting in the Masai Mara National Park in Kenya when he was rudely interrupted by the cubs.
Their play fighting became too aggressive and they ended up on top of their father, who quickly woke up and showed his displeasure.
The male lion bared his canines at the cubs as they tried to get him to join in on the playful action.
A grumpy male lion growled at his three cubs after they woke him up while play fighting with each other.
He was resting in the Masai Mara National Park in Kenya when he was rudely interrupted by the cubs.
The three puppies were seen wrestling and rolling around in the grass while playing.
The three cubs were seen wrestling and rolling around in the grass as they played.
They attempted to pin each other down with strong tackles on the ground before venturing towards the male lion.
The trio jumped on him to force him to join, but he got angry at being woken up and bared his sharp teeth.
Camilla Malvestiti witnessed the encounter during her safari and captured photographs of the moment the playful cubs teased their father.
“The cubs woke up the male lion, jumped on him and tried to get him to play with them,” she said.
Their play fighting became too aggressive and they ended up on top of their father, who quickly woke up and showed his displeasure.
They attempted to pin each other down with strong tackles on the ground before venturing towards the male lion.
The trio jumped on him to get him to join, but he got angry at being woken up and bared his sharp teeth.
‘The male lion’s expression was amused and cute, almost the same reaction a human father would have if he had been abruptly woken up by his children.
The tour operator added: ‘Play fighting is an important part of the cubs’ growth as they learn skills that will be useful to them when they become adults.
“Watching animals interact with each other is interesting because it teaches you something about their behavior.”
Lion cubs practice their hunting techniques, improve their coordination and strengthen their muscles while playing, which is crucial for their survival skills.
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