Ken - always interesting to see a lion in a tree. I think you needed more dof here and maybe a bit more selective sharpening on the lion. Looks like an overcast day.
Like the OP but don't love it. Unfortunately, I am unable to articulate why after looking at it several times. I do however feel as though Morkel's B&W really gives it a lift up and some pop.
I feel Morkel's B&W works better than OP because: 1) The bright green of the tree in OP is distracting, 2) The blank sky on the OP is also distracting. By making it B&W the green goes away and the sky looks natural (as expected in a B&W).
Tom
Thanks everybody, for your comments and suggestions, I tried this image many different ways and just could not get it to look anything other than dull, probably because it was a very dull day, and the youngster was in the shade of the tree.
A little bit of blue or some structure in the sky may have helped, plus of course the Lion could have stood somewhere better
Morkel,
I do not dislike the B & W but feel that it suffers from the post you had to work with, back to the drawing board