The Lion Hunt-1836 |
In the painting you can see the Arab hunters fighting
with the lions. They are using the simple tools of spears, knives and the
more advanced rifles to fight. Even though the hunters have the advantages of a
horse and camel it should remembered that lions have cunning and mobility that
makes them difficult to defeat. One man is on the ground already suffering from
their defense. The cubs are being taken for market fetching a high price during
this time. The fur is likely to be made into clothing, rugs or other items.
The lion in religion and literature is an important
creature of nobility. They are seen as have courage, willing to fight, truth
seekers, and able to stand within a group or alone. They are seen as a creature
with intelligence and lightning strength. To be lionhearted is to be brave and
courageous. It is this noble perception
that has maintained human interest and fascination from the very beginning of time.
Lions have been an important part of history since
early humans put them in Paleolithic cave paintings. As one of the only species
that would regularly hunt humans and other big prey the human race naturally
has some fear of them. The lion is anatomically more geared for survival than us. They can see, fight, and pounce. It was human’s ability to adapt tools that
made them more successful. Lions are currently declining due to habitat
changes. You may be interested in reviewing an organization that supports
lions.