The photographs depict the large feline in highly animated states of arousal, standing on its hind legs, howling, and baring all of its fangs as he prepares to mount the lioness.

As soon as the female was ready to reproduce, she would elevate her tail and provoke the male by rubbing him or crawling at his feet, according to 55-year-old photographer Vclav Ilha. The male pursues her impatiently because the female emits a pungent odor.This was only the beginning of a session that could last up to five days; lions will mate up to 200 times, and even though each act lasts only a few seconds, they will continue to mate for 20 minutes after the initial act.

The lion rocks back on its rear legs and chuckles down at the lioness who is reclining on her back and looking back at him as they prepare to mate in Maasai Mara National Reserve in southeast Kenya.

Although mating itself takes only a few seconds, it occurs approximately every 20 minutes.

As he prepares to mount, the lion roars and the female roars back at him; when lionesses are ready to reproduce, they will elevate their tails and stimulate males by rubbing or crawling at their feet.

The juvenile male displays its canines while its front legs are positioned on either side of the female’s hindquarters; a male lion will follow a lioness impatiently when she is in heat and leaving a strong odor behind her.

A smile or perhaps a grimace as the lion prepares to procreate with the lioness in the gentle evening sunset light of the Maasai Mara; the nature reserve is world-renowned for its large populations of lions, leopards, and cheetahs.

The lion’s face is scrunched in anticipation or exasperation as he flexes above the lioness, who howls back at him from the ground; lions do not mate at a specific time of year, and females are polyestrous, which means they can go into heat multiple times per year.

The lion roars with its jaws wide open and massive canines exposed as it towers atop the lioness, who roars back at him; the 55-year-old photographer, Vclav Ilha, stated, ‘I like to capture interaction in my photographs. Whether among creatures, nature, or the advancement of civilization.

The gaze of romance: The lion’s face is contorted with desire as he stares down at the lioness on the savanna floor staring back at him; their mating session could last several days and involve up to 200 distinct mating acts.

A lion was captured beaming from ear to ear prior to coupling with a lioness in Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve.