Okavango Delta, Botswana, Africa

A wildlife photograph shows an African lioness showing her impressive large teeth. You see in this close-up photograph how long her teeth are, indeed prodigious. She is doing the Flehmen behavior.

copyright Anette Mossbacher, 17 July, 2023

Buy a license or print

This photograph was captured with a Canon EOS-1D Mark IV and a lens. The following settings were used:

  • Aperture: ƒ/6.3
  • Exposure time: 1/500s
  • ISO: 5000
  • Focal Length: 600mm

The original photograph has the following dimensions: 3834 by 2556 pixels (WxH).

Thanks for sharing!

An African lioness is showing her impressive large teeth. You see precisely in this close-up portrait photograph how long her teeth are, indeed prodigious. She is doing the Flehmen behavior. That means she is smelling the air, and she picks up a scent from another predator. Behind the lioness is dry yellowish grass, which blends in perfectly with the lioness showing her teeth. Her light tan/brown fur matches the dry grass behind the animal entirely.

Lion And Flehmen Response

The lioness’s behavior is called the Flehmen response. It occurs when the lion sniffs and smells the scent of another predator’s urine. After they smell the ground or object the urine is on, they will pull back their lips and teeth. That can look like the animal is threatening you, but it is not an aggressive act at all. Every cat has something called the Jacobson’s organ. It is sitting above the palate. By sniffing deeply and then pulling back their lips, they are, in fact, ‘testing’ the chemical content of the urine left behind by the earlier animal.

As you can see in the photograph of the lioness showing her teeth, she uses Jacobson’s organ. Both males and females have a Flehmen response. However, it seems to be more relevant to males as they use it to determine whether females are entering an estrous cycle.

Lions have 30 permanent teeth. The front canine teeth are spaced in such a way that they can slip between the cervical vertebrae of their prey. That will sever the spinal cord, and it is also beneficial for ripping pieces of meat away from the bone.

The lion, Panthera Leo, is in category vulnerable in the IUCN red list.

Explore more of the impressive predators or discover the extraordinary Arctic predator. You can purchase all our nature photographs as photo wall art prints on fine art paper, canvas, modern metal prints, or acrylic.

This photograph is available to be purchased as a print. We offer our prints as unmounted fine art prints and framed prints that are ready-to-hang on your wall out of the box. Another option is that it can be licensed for personal or commercial use. Just click the add_shopping_cart icon left-hand side above the photo to select your choice.

For more information about the various types of prints we offer to purchase, please visit our Purchasing a print FAQ page.

Our Photo Licensing FAQ page explains the license types and helps you to choose the right license for your needs.

Before making a purchase, please read our Terms & Conditions page.

2 comments for African Lioness Showing Her Teeth

  1. Thomas

    Beautiful captured this lioness with her long teeth. I love the pictures of predators on your website.

    • Anette Mossbacher

      Thank you very much for the compliment about my wildlife photography, Thomas.

  2. Penelope Jean

    Magnificent photograph. Look at those teeth. I would not wish to meet her in a dark alley. Wonderful work.

    • Anette Mossbacher

      Indeed, I would not like to meet this lioness in a dark alley either. 😀 Thanks so much, Penelope.

Add a comment