I was saddened yesterday when a dear friend sent me a link detailing the death of Tajiri, a 15-year old female lion at the Philadelphia Zoo.

I was a big fan of Tajiri from 2014 when I spent hours at the Zoo, watching her and her 4 cubs. I had more time than usual that fall as I was on medical leave from work, treating a major depressive episode. As weird as it sounds, that turned out to be one of the best times of my life, a pivotal point in making me the person I am today. Tajiri played a big role in that part of my life. I felt such peace spending hours watching and photographing her and the family, soaking up the sun, enjoying the benefits of being outdoors, watching wildlife. She was such a patient and loving mother; it was easy to see how much the cubs adored her. 😻

It’s difficult to look at those pictures and avoid comparing them to photos from only a few weeks ago when I spent several hours watching a mother lion with 4 cubs in the wild while on safari in Kalahari, Botswana. (I still haven’t posted those pictures to my blog; soon!) My photographic skills are much better, the cameras are better, no fenced enclosures in the way… but these pictures still bring me joy.

You were beloved, Tajiri, rest in peace.