In my last post I showed a photo of a male lion with a nasty wound just below his right eye. I mentioned he had other problems, including his teeth. Here’s a photo of him mating with one of the lionesses in his pride. He opens his mouth here and his upper left fang seems to be missing.
African Lions Copulating; Serengeti National Park,Tanzania
Male Lion Has Missing and/or Broken Fangs, Serengeti National Park.
Here is an enlarged portion of the previous photo which shows his teeth better. Not only is most if not all of his upper left fang missing, but his lower left fang is broken and looks decayed. I just saw a TV show about an African sanctuary which takes in wild animals and gives them a second chance. The program showed some lions and hyenas getting dental work done. Broken and missing teeth are a common problem with lions (and maybe hyenas as well) and a factor in estimating their age.
This guy doesn’t live in a sanctuary where they give medical care to the animals. He will have to live with his health problems. I hope he lives a full life.
For a larger view of the first photo above, click on my portfolio.
