A Fallen King
2019 - The ‘Black Dam Male’ is one of the largest and most famous lions to walk the Kruger in recent times. He thrived as the solo, dominant male of the Giraffe Pride in Thornybush and Timbavati. To protect a territory and successfully sire cubs as a solo male lion is no small feat in these areas with stiff competition often coming from male coalitions in search of their own success. He was widely known for his enormous size and presence, with a thick dark mane as a signal of dominance. For years there were many sightings of him hunting alongside the lionesses of the Giraffe Pride, who specialize in bringing down large prey such as buffalo and giraffes.
In early 2020, at the age of 10, he was gored in a battle with a buffalo. He was never quite the same since then. Around the same time, nomadic coalitions were growing in confidence and testing the limits within his territory. Eventually in August, a young coalition known as the Monwana Males took the opportunity to end his life as they attempted to take over the territory as their own. As sad as it may seem, this is typical in the lives and stories of wild lions and ensures that only the strongest genes are propagated. Fortunately, the Black Dam Male’s legacy continues through his sons and daughters who were old enough to survive the take-over.
Behind the photograph:
A year before his death in 2019, while guiding an afternoon safari, we arrived at an incredible scene with the mighty Black Dam Male laying on a termite mound in all of his glory as the sun set behind us. Guests and I were in total awe of his size and presence. This was my first encounter with him and I remember repeatedly saying, “We will never see a larger, more primedlion than this.” It was nerve-racking to keep eye contact with him but I was fortunate enough to capture a moment of his intimidating gaze. He then let out a magnificent roar before embarking on a territorial patrol. This special moment with a special lion will stay with us forever.
The Black Dam Male (2010-2020). Gone but never forgotten.
Framed behind 3mm clear glass (A4–A1) or 3mm clear perspex (A0).
Gallery frame profile: 23mm x 23mm, available in Black, White, Teak or Ash.
Mount board option: Arctic White 1300 Micron Mount.
Backed with 3mm MDF and fitted with hanger plates.
CANVAS SPECS
Printed on 340gsm Fine Art Cotton Canvas, stretched and fitted into a floater frame with a 10mm shadow gap, available in Black, White, Teak or Ash. Comes ready to hang.
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All pieces are made to order, so we don't accept returns.
Curated
with purpose
A percentage of every sale supports environmental and wildlife conservation.
Handcrafted
with care
Every frame is hand-finished and quality checked before it leaves our studio.
Sourced
first-hand
No stock libraries. Every piece is original work, captured by the photographer who was there.
Ready
to hang
Prints arrive fully framed and ready to hang — no trips to the framer required.
Size guide
Compare against a wall or piece of furniture before you choose. All measurements are outer frame dimensions in millimetres.
| Size | Without mount | With mount |
|---|---|---|
| A4 | 256 × 343 mm | 329 × 416 mm |
| A3 | 466 × 443 mm | 539 × 416 mm |
| A2 | 640 × 466 mm | 713 × 539 mm |
| A1 | 887 × 640 mm | 960 × 713 mm |
| A0 | 1235 × 887 mm | 1328 × 980 mm |
Mount board: Arctic White 1300 Micron. Glazing: 3mm clear glass (A4–A1), 3mm clear perspex (A0).
Real photographers, real wild places
Every piece in the Roam catalogue is the result of real time in the field — captured first-hand, not staged or invented, and brought to your wall exactly as it was shot.
Behind the lens
Byron Grobler
Byron Grobler is the photographer behind this piece, working across South Africa's wildest terrain to capture moments that can't be staged or repeated. Every print in this collection is licensed directly from Byron Grobler, with a portion of every sale going back into the conservation of the places and animals featured.