Toeing The Lion…

Reverberating was the guttural roar of “Macho ma Kali” (one of a coalition of two male lion ruling the middle Mwagusi) echoing along the semi-flooded Mwagusi River in Ruaha National Park Tanzania. 

Hearing him from camp we gulped down our coffee and excitedly made our way down to the look-out in the Landy to scan the riverbed. As the dawn crawled along and shapes started appearing from the darkness, we weren’t disappointed. In the middle of the exposed wet sand he stood tall and proud, facing downstream. Another aural volley down the river and then he started heading East, we rushed to reposition at the next river access and watch him pass.

After he did and faded into the lush vegetation on the Southern bank, we gave it a few minutes until we heard a roar reveal his location farther away, before we got out and walked onto the damp sand. 

Looking for a clear set of spoor we happened on a profoundly mesmerising find.

At first glance it appeared just like two separate spoor (which they are), however there was a subtle but profound anomaly. Each foot possesses 4 toes which are visible in the spoor…counting them will reveal that the juxtaposition is such that they perfectly share an inner toe.

I immediately thought of relationships and how despite being two separate individuals, some people are inextricably linked by a shared toe, rendering them one.

May you cherish those you share a toe with.

Yours in sharing,