Over the years, I have seen many lions on top of signposts. It is interesting to note that the Nairobi Park lions in particular seem to love climbing up the stone junction signs.
They often use them to look out over the surrounding areas or just enjoy the sun on the warmth from the stones. But it is not often that I have seen lion cubs using a signpost to play on!
On a number of occasions over many years, I have watched lion cubs use the stone junction signs to play on. Sometimes they play almost in a sort of “I’m the king of the castle” game, as one climbs up first and the others then try to follow.
On such an occasion about five years ago, after much rain, Mica the mighty lioness walked with her cubs from the No 5 junction area to the No 19 sign.
Naturally, her small cubs struggled to climb on top, but eventually the determined cubs did get on top. And yes! They did enjoy a game of “I’m the king of the castle” and a silly game of “Catch me if you can” that resulted in one of them falling off and climbing back up to play again.
They stayed there for a while, surveying their dominion with their mother, before jumping down again hastily, when Mica started walking away.
The Nairobi lions have become world-renowned, and they display themselves very grandly for thrilled visitors, when they pose on top on the stone junction signs. We hope and pray that future generations of visitors from all over the world will continue enjoying the sighting of “lions on signs”!
