Beverly Joubert Instagram – #Repost from @natgeo It can certainly be jarring to face an image that captures the harsh realities of survival in the natural world. But this photograph is also a testament to formidable strength, instinct, and skill in pursuit of sustenance. The female lions of the Okavango Delta in Botswana epitomize all of the agility, stealth, and intuitive cooperation that define a lioness-led hunt. Male lions get much of the limelight, but the lionesses are the true heart of the pride—and they perform the bulk of the demanding work required to sustain it. The crimson “war paint” on this lioness is a visceral reminder of how closely her existence is tied to the cycle of life and death.