It is our friend, Rowdy, the old lion from the Toronto Zoo again and this time he isn't giving us a reason to laugh at him.

This fellow has seen many days. He is the oldest male of his pride and despite living in a comfortable environment, shows all the signs of being a veteran of lion life - he is not one to be pushed around even though the other lions are more fit. I think in his pride he commands respect and I think that goes for us as well. He seems rather like an old soul, navigating the seas of time, riding the winds of change...taking it all in through those deep, piercing eyes.

The photos I have submitted of him here are only a part of the collection I have. I have grown quite fond of him, which is rare because in major zoos I find it hard to connect with the animals, which can seem so distant. There is a connection there which I can't quite explain. I feel touched by him somehow. I can only hope others who visit him through my photos can experience even a fraction of that.