Photographic Darwinism: Lion Kills American Photographer in South African Park
Jun 2, 2015
Allen Mowery
Allen Mowery is a Nationally-published Commercial & Editorial Photographer with over 20 years of experience. He has shot for major brands as well small clients. When not shooting client work or chasing overgrown wildlife from his yard, he loves to capture the stories of the people and culture around him.
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EDIT: DIYP intends no disrespect to the victim or her family and friends by publishing this post. As was stated in the article, regardless of the circumstances surrounding her death, the loss of life is indeed tragic, not only for the victim but for those close to her. The use of satire was intended to communicate, to those who typically ignore safety precautions while knowing the risks, how very real the consequences of such actions can be.
We can all agree that there are many things in life that can kill you, such as nuclear radiation, stepping into oncoming traffic, and a jealous girlfriend. Oh, and lions…especially if you’re stupid. (Or maybe just careless; we aren’t passing judgement.)
If I’m driving through a wildlife park and the rules state that my windows are to be closed and I am to have no contact with the animals, chances are I will test the boundaries and see how much I can get away with for a great picture or story to tell. That, however, backfired morbidly for an American tourist traveling through Lion Park (yes, we know the link is currently dead, although we’re not sure why) just north of Johannesburg, South Africa.
Despite the park rules stating that guests are to keep their windows rolled up and “hands and feet inside the ride at all times,” the 22-year-old tourist was riding along through the park with her window rolled down and, we assume, Lynyrd Skynyrd blasting “Sweet Home Alabama” over the radio. Witnesses state that, at the time of the attack, the victim was taking photos of a lion from one meter (a little over three feet, for us bloody Americans) away when the lion, apparently disagreeing with her choice in playlist, lunged through the open window and attacked the woman. Perhaps a bit extreme when a simple, “Please change the song,” would have sufficed, but it’s easy to play armchair expert after the fact.
According to reports, park employees were able to get the lion away from the victim, and although paramedics attempted to save her life, it was too late. Regardless of the circumstances, the loss of life is still tragic.
A few things I take away from this
First off, this is an enclosed park, which is probably why the park is able to advertise, “super close-up animal views guaranteed.” To me, that takes most of the fun out of the experience. It’s kind of like those places that guarantee you will shoot a trophy buck by paying to hunt in their enclosed killing grounds. It’s like shooting fish in a barrel rather than experiencing the thrill and allure of tracking down a truly wild animal. This was not an open safari but rather the South African equivalent of Six Flags. Kinda unsporty, if you ask me…
Secondly, this park apparently has a problem with temperamental wildlife. An Australian tourist was attacked in March when he decided to pull the same thing (although, we assume his playlist incorporated…well, whichever Australian musical artists were all the rage in the 1970s) and travel through the park with his window rolled down. Two days later, a 13-year-old boy who thought it a great idea to take a shortcut across the park on his bike (the balls!) was attacked by a cheetah. Now, how many serious incidents and deaths do you think Six Flags would have to accumulate before the place would see a decline in their legal privilege to remain open? Then again, TIA (“this is Africa), so a different set of rules obviously applies.
And, perhaps this is what Charles Darwin had in mind when formulating his theories on natural selection.
Photographers, for the love of God…
…your life, and the pressure your friends and loved ones would undoubtedly feel to conjure up something nice to say at your memorial, don’t be entirely stupid when trying to get the shot. But, should you choose to ignore my advice, be sure the images that will be recovered from your memory card and sensationally shared with the rest of the world are epic.
[via The Telegraph | Header image courtesy Tambako The Jaguar]
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Allen Mowery
Allen Mowery is a Nationally-published Commercial & Editorial Photographer with over 20 years of experience. He has shot for major brands as well small clients. When not shooting client work or chasing overgrown wildlife from his yard, he loves to capture the stories of the people and culture around him.
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25 responses to “Photographic Darwinism: Lion Kills American Photographer in South African Park”
I like the choice of image used. *lick lick*
Hmmm, keep seeing “tragic” used as a descriptor in stories about human stupidity. I know it fits the dictionary usage but to my mind tragic should only be used when the events were beyond the control of the victim: Brandon Lee was a tragedy; Hurricane Katrina was a tragedy.
This lady got herself killed.
I was thinking “tragic” in the sense that there are those left behind grieving. As Forest Gump’s mother always told him, “Stupid deserves as stupid gets”…or something like that.
Why not re-frame this as a positive story? I imagine the lion community look on this as we would a raffle win.
That’s hilarious… :-)
Burp!
She lived through the camera and died through the camera…
“Secondly, this park apparently has a problem with temperamental wildlife”
No, this park apparently has a problem with idiots doing stupid things while the wildlife are attempting to go about their natural behaviour (well, about as naturally as one can, given the setting).
Also, what we obviously all want to know, did the camera survive? how are the images? and was it worth it? :)
Stupid comments.
Whereas yours contributed greatly.
This article is in extremely bad taste. Regardless of your thoughts on the victim, she was someone’s daughter, sister, friend etc. It’s awful how you can make such light of it in this way.
Completely agree. Sad were we’ve come.
Glad I’m not the only one thinking this.
Here is the real story behind this and who was involved. I wonder if Allen Mowery still feels it’s an ideal story to make light of.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/03/south-africa-lion-new-york-woman?CMP=twt_gu
I’m afraid I find your article facetious, inappropriate, and unbelievably insensitive. No one deserves to die because of a mistake, no matter how (perceived), stupid, that mistake might be. U N B E L I E V A B L E.
You see an mistake where what you should be seeing is what happens sometimes when we deliberately violate the rules, especially rules meant to maintain safety. You see “mistake”, I see pre-meditated carelessness. Perhaps she can at least be an object lesson for the next idiot who is tempted to play fast and loose with the rules.
There were FAR better ways to make that point. This article is in very poor taste.
That’s your opinion. Doesn’t make it right, doesn’t make it wrong.
IMO, if it makes one fool think twice about following rules established for safety, his take was right on
Call it what you like. It does not give the author of the article license to gloat. We as humans make mistakes, do stupid things, but dying, (because of ones idiocy), is still not a valid excuse for such insensitivity (no matter how many “clicks” it might attract), on a public forum.
Insensitive perhaps, but dead on target and making the point that needs to be made in a manner that just might save the next fool
Wow, this is such a poorly written article. The remarks that are meant to be funny are so distasteful (men attack women all the time, not just crazy ex-gf’s) I hope the friends and family of the deceased does not see this article. And yes, the deceased was not using common sense but there are better ways to report the incident.
Is a shame that DIYPhotography published this article, making fun and mocking about a tragedy like this is not only distasteful and inappropriate, it reflects the poor soul the writer has and no emphaty at all for the family of the victim.
Thank you. Well stated.
Ugh. I hated reading this. I hope her parents and loved ones never come across this article. Sure, she made a terrible, awful mistake. And it cost her her life! Have some sensitivity to that, please. There were WAY more tactful ways you could have made your point.
Does, Allen Mowery actually get paid for writing an article like this. it’s like that one guy at the Christmas party that tries with all his might to be funny and clever , but cant make a Hyena laugh.. well at least DIYP has Stephanie Findlay to put out a good solid professional vibe ,rather than the vibe of someone that just got fired and had to write one last “I Don’t Give A $#!% ” “article before getting his last paycheck.
The only stupidity I could find beneath this tragedy was the ass whole that wrote this poorly worded trash. And Mr. Mowery has 25 years experience??, how embarrassing. He should keep that to himself because the article won’t seem so void of writing skills if it was written by a blind chimpanzee with a pencil in his teeth.