Absolutely exhausted last night after our 6 and 2 hour walks with the cubs yesterday, I slept like a log and was able to have wee lie in starting horse feeding from 7am. An easy morning and felt more in the way and a hindrance than actually helping.

Getting over my nerves and anxiousness of getting on a horse again, especially since the last time I feel off, a group of us had a riding lesson. Dear old placid Jacko was my boy about 18 years old and perfect to ride for scaredy cat me.

Jacko was quite a tall horse, for me anyway, to get on him I had to stand on two tyres to reach the stirrups and hoist myself up - I must have looked so uncoordinated... Not feeling too brave Jacko and I just plodded along walking around the arena while the others learned trotting and cantering. I didn't fall off so that was a bonus.

This afternoon I observed 4 male lions be relocated from their bush enclosure to the breeding program. Masai and another lion the same age look like they have bad number 2 haircuts as their mane is just starting to grow and especially compared to their massive heads. They will be stunning boys once their manes are fully grown.

What a process! Separating the lions into pairs so that two of them can be darted with tranquiliser; waiting for the tranquiliser to kick in took about 10 - 20 minutes for both lions, you definitely want to make sure they're out to it before going in that's for sure. Once in full effect the team of handlers swoop in covering the lions eyes, temperature monitoring, checking their ears, teeth and eyes, and spraying antiseptic on any fight wounds. Everything is done as quickly as possible and then the lions are rolled onto a stretcher to move all 200 kg (approx) of them into the back of the ute, meanwhile with the team still monitoring and keeping them cool.

Half the volunteers returned back to camp after the first 2 lions were moved which was good as we were a large group. I was fascinated with the whole process and wished I could get in and help.

Returning to the second pair Lozi and Masai the tranquiliser was drawn up and ready to go again. Lozi went down fairly quickly, Masai however was proving difficult - pacing around and jumping up on their elevated ramps just what you don't want them doing with tranquiliser in their system. Witness, one of the handlers managed to get him down twice but Masai was determined to be up on those platforms, the tranquiliser finally setting in, rolled over to sleep on the top platform making the move slightly more difficult.

Once in the back of the ute it was a mad dash to the new enclosure as Lozi's temperature was creeping up which is not good - it was like watching an Animal Planet documentary with added drama and imagining the narration...

My highlight of the whole process while the team were attending to Lozi, I snuck around the ire to take some close up photos of Masai still in the truck, cheekily I asked one of attendees if I could touch his whiskers, beard and paws as I'm sure I'd never get another opportunity to do that and live to tell the tale... Wow, his whiskers are like a really thick course bristle yet his beard was so soft. Masai's paw - huge!

Safely transported to their new enclosure the boys woke albeit dazed and wobbly.

Returning to camp the evening ritual of shower, volunteer planning meeting, dinner and sitting around the camp fire getting toastie warm chatting and socializing.