These Striking Images Reveal the Beauty of Africa's Wildlife

Celebrating African wildlife

Back for its third edition, Prints for Wildlife is an annual fundraiser created by photographers Pie Aerts and Marion Payr to raise funds for the non-profit organization African Parks, which manages 20 national parks in 11 countries across Africa. Last year the fundraiser featured more than 130 photographers – here are their most mesmerizing images celebrating African wildlife...

A lion in Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

Photographer Andrew Liu captured this stunning image on a particularly dark, wet morning in the national reserve. As the sun was rising, the majestic lion took a few steps and leaned down to drink from a nearby puddle. "As he lifted his head, this glorious image with water sparkling and dripping down his mane presented itself to me. One snap and I knew I had the shot," the photographer says.

Masai giraffes in Naboisho Conservancy, Kenya

About an hour into a game drive attended by photographer Pie Aerts, menacing clouds, harsh winds and thunder announced the presence of an approaching storm. The group were then battered by torrential rain, wind and lightning while the wildlife ran for cover. "After two hours, [the storm] suddenly stopped. For one minute the entire bush went to pure silence. Animals started to emerge from the thickets, including Masai giraffes, and on the horizon the warm glow of sunshine emerged," Pie says.

Zebras in the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, Botswana

Every year zebras travel for weeks from the Okavango Delta to the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, moving with the seasons and rainfall in search of water and food. This mesmerizing image by Beverly Joubert was captured at the end of their journey in the salt pans.

A cheetah family in Mara North Conservancy, Kenya

Photographer Andrew Parkinson was leading a photographic safari when the group spotted a cheetah family and spent a few hours observing them in the early morning. As sunlight arrived, the adults were ready to pounce on some small grazers on a distant hillside, however, the cubs were not cooperating. They stopped on a fallen log, surveying their surroundings, just as this image was captured.

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Cheetahs in the Serengeti, Tanzania

This gorgeous photograph was captured by Chris Schmid on the way back to his camp at the end of the day. Surprisingly, he spotted two cheetahs. "Having worked with cheetahs quite a lot during the last few years, I [guessed] they'd probably use one of the mounds to scan around. So I quickly decided to position myself to get the mound with the sunset behind and hopefully one of the cheetahs," Chris says. "After waiting a few minutes, one of the cheetahs took the direction of the mound and [sat up] just at the right time to create this amazing silhouette."

A mountain gorilla in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda

A conservation success story, mountain gorillas have more than doubled in population since the 1980s thanks to a collaborative effort between Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. "I wanted to create a portrait that gave a sense of gorillas’ gentleness and soulfulness," says photographer Graeme Green. "As long as the animals and their habitats continue to be protected, hopefully mountain gorillas will continue to thrive."

Grauer's gorillas in Kahuzi-Biega National Park, DRC

While mountain gorillas have been taken off the critically endangered species list, Grauer's gorillas have been added to the list due to their numbers dropping by nearly 80% in just a few decades. Photographer Marcus Westberg captured this image while working with Gorilla Doctors, an organization whose vets monitor a small number of the species in the national park.

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Flamingos in Lake Magadi, Kenya

“After receiving a call from my pilot saying he had never seen Lake Magadi in Kenya look so beautiful, we quickly gathered all our gear and flew as soon as we could," says photographer Gurcharan Roopra, who took this image. "On arrival at Magadi, the conditions were truly one of a kind. The yellow-orange mix over the dark side of the lake was phenomenal. Adding the beautiful flamingos into the mix was the icing on a magical location.”

Masai giraffes and plains zebras in Akagera National Park, Rwanda

Photographer Marion Payr captured this sweet image of a young giraffe mother caressing her newborn when she visited Akagera National Park in Rwanda this year. "It was my first time seeing the critical work African Parks does on the ground," she says. "Their efforts in community-based conservation are tangible here after more than 10 years of managing this thriving ecosystem."

Masai giraffes in Amboseli National Park, Kenya

Photographer James Lewin was waiting for an elephant herd to venture across an expansive dry lake in this Kenyan national park, however, it was Masai giraffes that slowly made their way over the lakebed instead. "It was an almost biblical moment," says James. "I have never before managed to photograph giraffes with their strides so in sync with one another. It was a special moment for me."

A leopard in Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

Captured here lounging on a warm September evening is Lorian, an African leopard. Photographer Clement Kiragu had spent time observing the animal as it soaked up the last warm rays of the setting sun.

Giraffes in Selous, Tanzania

This image is a result of many mornings spent in a small boat in Selous by photographer Robert Ross, in a bid to capture this exact shot while working on photos for a book. "Giraffes often crossed this channel shortly after dawn to a watery island where they would browse for much of the day. Capturing the combination of cooperative giraffes, good light and calm water required many attempts and much patience,” he says. 

A leopard in Mashatu, Botswana

Photographer Saul Rivkind had positioned himself in a clearing close to a large Mashatu tree in the hope of capturing a leopard that had crossed a nearby river earlier. This time the stars aligned and "the leopard appeared from the shadows into a field of beautifully bright devil's thorn flowers, which painted a golden path to the tree it eventually settled in," says the photographer.

A southern white rhino in Solio Ranch, Kenya

Photographer Joachim Schmeisser says this of his remarkable image of a white rhino he snapped in Solio Ranch: "I moved in very close to capture the authentic spirit and graceful beauty of this tremendous animal. Being so extremely near to this magnificent rhino bull when he rose, I had the feeling the dinosaurs never died out and fortunately some of them still roam the Earth."

An African elephant in Amboseli National Park, Kenya

While on a group trip to Kenya, photographer Arnaud Legrand had already planned this exact shot in his head – now it was just a case of actually capturing it. One early morning the group found a herd of elephants with newborn calves in a clearing, while Kilimanjaro loomed in the background. "At one point, this big, beautiful female came out of the marsh straight towards us to check out the vehicle. That’s when I took my camera out," says Arnaud.

Now take a look at winning images from the Nature TTL Photographer of the Year Awards