For city dwellers, a spot of rain can bring the end to any good hair day.
And it seems the problem’s no different for those living on the wild side, as one lion proved when he awoke to a serious case of bed-head.
Unfortunately for the animal, Tiny, his embarrassment was documented by a group of wildlife photographers at the Wildlife Heritage Foundation Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent.
Photographer Gary Brookshaw was able to capture the animal’s melancholy as he woke up from a nap.
‘It was a miserable wet day and this lion brought a smile to our faces as his normally glorious mane was soaked and flat – he looked completely fed up,’ the 43-year-old said.
‘I was really pleased to get the shot as it was almost the first one of the day and I knew it was a good moment and technically good shot.’
Tiny, who lives at the sanctuary with his two brothers, Manzi and Kafara, was born with a digestion problem causing him to regurgitate food and not grow properly.
After having a stomach valve corrected, he has made a full recovery and is now a normal size.
‘He’s called Tiny because he kept regurgitating his food when young so he didn’t grow at the normal rate. He had an operation to correct a stomach valve and things got better for him.
‘He has had some hairy moments, when in 2008 some horse mane got stuck in his intestines and he almost died,’ added Mr Brookshaw, who gives workshops on wildlife photography at the sanctuary.
‘He had an operation where they had to cut out almost 5 foot of intestine but luckily lived to tell the tale.
‘Despite these troubles he’s still an impressive lion and full of character.’
