After eating into a hefty helping of zebra, a lion cub looked like he could explode as he kicked back with his full belly in the air.
As it sprawled out on a termite hill to digest the feast, the bloated-looking cub may have realized its eyes were bigger than its gut.
Wildlife photographer Burak Dogansoyal photographed the cub as part of a pride of lions in Kenya’s world-famous Masai Mara.
The adolescent lion’s pride had just hunted an adult zebra and were feasting when he began snapping the wild cats.
They were able to play games with each other despite being full after their enormous lunch before flopping on their backs and sunning on a termite hill.
‘If there is anything sweeter than a lion cub, it’s a cub with a full belly,’ Mr Dogansoyal remarked.
‘When they are full, their stomachs practically touch the ground, and they appear to have difficulty carrying it around. It’s hilarious to watch.
‘This cub is most likely four to five months old. When lion cubs are three months old, they begin eating meat.
‘After digesting the meat, the cub played with other cubs and did what most babies do: it bothered its mother.
‘Despite dwindling populations, spotting lions in Africa is still very straightforward. Small cubs, on the other hand, are a lot more precious experience that always makes me pleased.’
African lions are now considered vulnerable, with only about 23,000 left in the wild. African lions are currently half the number they were 25 years ago.
