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Lions of Sabi Sands - Printable Version

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RE: Lions of Sabi Sands - Potato - 03-05-2020

(03-04-2020, 01:47 AM)Tr1x24 Wrote:
(03-03-2020, 10:44 PM)Potato Wrote: Nah, they keep on moving around. Here is the part of Mala Mala raport for January:
"As has been the case for the previous two months, all sightings of the Styx pride were in Charleston (the southernmost section of our reserve) and we had hoped that this perhaps signalled the pride’s intent of finally settling down again. However, they were only viewed there on the 2nd and the 3rd of December before vanishing yet again. January saw our hopes rise again as the pride returned to Charleston – they were viewed here on five days. They were seen in the southwestern corner of our reserve on the 11th, 12th and 13th before heading north when they were found to the north of Jakkalsdraai Open Area on the 14th. By the 15th they had returned to the southeast corner. "

I said" about" 2 months, i didnt check exact dates, i check it now, they are in western sector now for more then 1 month, which is huge time for them in one area as they where moving thru Sabi Sands on daily basis. We'll see if they move again, reports are saying that they started scent marking. 

It seems that in the process they lost 1 of the younger females as 2 females where seen with bite marks on their backs in Elephant Plains in January , prob had a clash with some bigger pride.

Didn't Mhangeni pride chassed them off a kill recently?

RE: Lions of Sabi Sands - Tr1x24 - 03-05-2020

(03-05-2020, 12:12 AM)Potato Wrote: Didn't Mhangeni pride chassed them off a kill recently?

Idk, there was no report of any clashes as of i know.

RE: Lions of Sabi Sands - Potato - 03-05-2020

Lion Sands Game Reserve
5 lutego o 09:01 · 

“We found the Styx Pride trying to hunt down a zebra, but they were unsuccessful. It was a surprise to encounter them as we had not seen any of their tracks or signs of them in the area. One or two of the lionesses had deep claw marks on their hindquarters, suggesting they may have had a run-in with another pride – most likely the Mhangeni Pride, who were sited with a giraffe carcass on our northern boundary. Later in the evening, the Styx managed to bring down a male blue wildebeest.” – Field Guide Anthony Hattingh

RE: Lions of Sabi Sands - Tr1x24 - 03-05-2020

(03-05-2020, 12:43 AM)Potato Wrote: “We found the Styx Pride trying to hunt down a zebra, but they were unsuccessful. It was a surprise to encounter them as we had not seen any of their tracks or signs of them in the area. One or two of the lionesses had deep claw marks on their hindquarters, suggesting they may have had a run-in with another pride – most likely the Mhangeni Pride, who were sited with a giraffe carcass on our northern boundary. Later in the evening, the Styx managed to bring down a male blue wildebeest.” – Field Guide Anthony Hattingh

Only speculation, but it might happen tho, also 4 N'ws where also in the area in that time, as they overtake giraffe carcass from Mhangeni pride next day. Who knows what happened, but 1 younger lioness is missing unfortunately..

RE: Lions of Sabi Sands - Tr1x24 - 03-06-2020

1 of the Sand River lionesses with her cubs (S. Avocas offspring) in Kirkmans Kamp :


*This image is copyright of its original author


RE: Lions of Sabi Sands - titose - 03-06-2020

Are the Nkuhuma Pride Setting up Territory on Northern Londolozi?


For almost two years now, the Northern section of Londolozi has not been occupied by a dominant pride of lions. This area – known as Marthly – was previously home to the much adored Tsalala pride. During 2017 and early 2018 the once pride suffered a run of bad luck and a combination of old age of some members and attacks from other lions whittled the pride down to one female. Under these circumstances, it is amazing the Tsalala lioness has managed to thrive on her own for so long considering how reliant lions are on their pride for survival. The resilient-as-ever Tsalala female has even managed to raise her cub to almost a year old despite the trying times. In order to keep her cub safe, she has had to sacrifice her former pride’s sprawling territory and concentrate her hunting efforts almost exclusively in the area surrounding the Sand River where prey is plentiful and there are good hiding spots for the cub.

The result of the Tsalala female’s territorial downsizing is that the Marthly is consequently available for any lion pride that is willing to claim it. Marthly is the ideal place for lions – it has the Manyelethi River that provides water points almost all year round, it has numerous beautiful rocky outcrops where young cubs can be safely left whilst the females are out hunting and its patchwork of open grassy crests and thick riverine vegetation supports many of the lions’ preferred prey species. Until recently, this prime territory remained unoccupied and instead it served a safe haven for a few different younger lions that had left their respective prides as well as a stopover for the nomadic Styx pride as they meandered their way through the greater Sabi Sands area. It began to feel as though Marthly was just too good to be true and that we might not get to see this unique place get the lion pride it seemed to deserve…

That is until late one steamy January morning. Tracker Bennet Mathonsi and I had been out that morning exploring the north with our guests and were just about to stop for a coffee break when our plans got derailed by fresh tracks of a large pride of lions close to the spot we had selected for our break.
Bennet leaped off the tracker’s seat and immediately began following. I always find tracking lions exciting but this time I was more excited than usual; who were these mystery lions whose tracks appeared on Londolozi overnight? We didn’t have to wait very long to find out. Bennet called me on the radio and said he had found the lions so we drove into the long grass and were delighted with the sight that awaited us. Up ahead were sixteen lions; nine young cubs, six females and one male – a full complement of the Nkuhuma pride and one of the two Northern Avoca males for good measure. We watched them as they walked through the grass towards a pristine pool of water in the Manyelethi River where they paused to drink before moving up the far bank to seek shade amongst the boulders.

Since that morning, we have seen the Nkuhuma pride on Marthly almost every other day. This pride – that originates from further north of Londolozi – have spent most of their time in the northern Sabi Sand Reserve but it seems as though the allure of an unoccupied Marthly has finally drawn them further south. The Nkuhuma pride currently consists of six females of varying ages and nine cubs, the oldest of which were born in August last year and the youngest only born in December 2019. The fathers of the Nkuhuma pride’s latest cubs are the Northern Avoca males who are the dominant male lions in the Northern Sabi Sands and are regularly seen with the pride.

With sightings of this pride becoming more and more frequent, it is my hope that the Nkuhuma pride will become one of the mainstay prides of Londolozi.

By: Nick Sims

March 5, 2020

RE: Lions of Sabi Sands - Tr1x24 - 03-07-2020

2 young male lions seen in Sabi Sabi, its belived they are from Sand River pride (hopefully the 3rd one is still alive too) :


*This image is copyright of its original author


*This image is copyright of its original author


RE: Lions of Sabi Sands - Tr1x24 - 03-07-2020

8 lionesses from Torchwood pride on a kill :


*This image is copyright of its original author


*This image is copyright of its original author


*This image is copyright of its original author


This 8 lionesses mostly are seen in northwestern sector of Sabi Sands, while younger 4 with young male are mostly in MalaMala.

RE: Lions of Sabi Sands - Mohawk4 - 03-07-2020

The Mhangene pride were on their way towards a large herd of buffalo that were sleeping outside Savanna. The Ottawa Male bumped into the Ottawa pride and chased the one female and cubs south of our lodge. Luckily for the Ottawa Pride the cubs got away and none were killed. After roaring and displaying his dominance he went to get the rest of the Mhangene pride and they came to fight for the territory. The Ottawa pride were without their dominant Matimba Male. He was about about 5km north of them. The two larger and older lioness from the Ottawa pride stood up to the 5 large females for the Mhangene pride and Ottawa male. The next morning the Matimba male was back in the south chasing the Ottawa male away and back to his his pride further east of the lodge.  The Matimba male roared all morning claiming back his territory.

Savanna private game reserve
Savanna Private Game Reserve

RE: Lions of Sabi Sands - Tr1x24 - 03-07-2020

(03-07-2020, 07:03 PM)Mohawk4 Wrote: The Mhangene pride were on their way towards a large herd of buffalo that were sleeping outside Savanna. The Ottawa Male bumped into the Ottawa pride and chased the one female and cubs south of our lodge. Luckily for the Ottawa Pride the cubs got away and none were killed. After roaring and displaying his dominance he went to get the rest of the Mhangene pride and they came to fight for the territory. The Ottawa pride were without their dominant Matimba Male. He was about about 5km north of them. The two larger and older lioness from the Ottawa pride stood up to the 5 large females for the Mhangene pride and Ottawa male. The next morning the Matimba male was back in the south chasing the Ottawa male away and back to his his pride further east of the lodge.  The Matimba male roared all morning claiming back his territory.

Savanna private game reserve

Wow. 

So Othawa male first chased his sister Sassy and youngster, 2 older Othawa females stayed. 


As far i can se Othawa male didn't attack his aunts, actually at 0:20 lioness walking side by him was his aunt Othawa lioness. Mhangeni lionesses where prob confused too by this as they let 2 Othawa lionesses aproached them, and yet then after sniffing attacked them.

Good to see that HB can still chase away a prime dominant male.

RE: Lions of Sabi Sands - Mohawk4 - 03-07-2020

I didnt expect Othawa male to "attack" Othawas but his duty now is to protect Mhangenis....I am a little confused....
HB is not in goood shape....Check his back legs

RE: Lions of Sabi Sands - Tr1x24 - 03-07-2020

(03-07-2020, 07:18 PM)Mohawk4 Wrote: I didnt expect Othawa male to "attack" Othawas but his duty now is to protect Mhangenis....I am a little confused....
HB is not in goood shape....Check his back legs

Well he didnt "attack" them, he chased his sister and cubs (he might not recongize her if she was far away), he clearly did recognize his aunts and they recognize him, they where friendly, but then Mhangeni females started attacking Othawas. Actually is a good thing that Othawa male chased away youngsters, because Mhangeni lionesses would prob kill them if theyd catch them.

HB has a slight limp on righ back leg it seems , but he is in a very good shape for his age, he even regrown his mane a bit towards his back.

RE: Lions of Sabi Sands - Hairy tummy - 03-07-2020

Good old hb... Hes still got it

RE: Lions of Sabi Sands - Potato - 03-07-2020

I always though that HB is very underrated on this stage of his life and can hold on against most males in prime. Here he proves that he can keep up even with such a beast as Othawa male. Yet about Othawa male chassing Sassy, I think he could have targeted Sassy's cubs, not Sassy herself. Also I wouldn't worry about HB's leg. HB is in nearly as perfect condition as he can get at this age and little limp shouldn't be much of a problem.

RE: Lions of Sabi Sands - Matimbalani - 03-07-2020

I hope it doesn't come to blows. At his age the likelihood of HB coming off with a worse injury is much greater. If he can hold on for another year to give the cubs a better chance would be great.