Embracing the Lion's Spirit: Lessons in Unity and Resilience

During a late afternoon visit to Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Crater, I joined birdwatchers who spotted a pride of lions resting. As dusk neared, the lions slowly awakened, stretching with wide, toothy yawns. The group, composed of both seasoned adults and vigorous young hunters, prepared for the evening’s hunt.

Before setting out, the lions engaged in mutual grooming—licking, pressing close, and rubbing faces—reinforcing their bond and signaling, "We stand together as one." This ritual of connection preceded their coordinated pursuit.

Their tawny forms melted into the tall golden grass along a ridge. One lion remained seated while others moved ahead, repeating this pattern to create a hidden line of watchful predators. Their gaze fixed on a grazing herd of unsuspecting zebras. One lioness then slipped downhill to the side, tasked with flushing the zebras uphill, directly into the waiting hunters.

Though affection alone won’t catch prey, this pride demonstrated that a shared identity and cooperation are essential for strategic success. While this hunt did not end in a kill, the lions’ persistence and willingness to learn from failure underscored the path to eventual triumph.

Like these lions, my understanding of success has been shaped by setbacks. Growing up on Long Island, New York, I was captivated by birds of prey—eagles, ospreys, peregrine falcons—all then endangered. I read about how DDT caused their eggs to become fragile and break, fearing their extinction was inevitable. I witnessed pesticides sprayed indiscriminately, harming local wildlife.

In 1966, a determined group challenged the local mosquito control agency’s use of DDT in salt marshes and won, setting the stage for the pesticide’s nationwide ban in 1972. Decades later, these once-threatened birds have made a remarkable recovery. As one advocate reflected, small, committed groups armed with accurate information can drive meaningful societal change. Sometimes, confronting seemingly hopeless situations reveals what is truly achievable.