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Lions of Sabi Sands - Printable Version

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RE: Lions of Sabi Sands - Tr1x24 - 10-23-2020

(10-23-2020, 01:29 AM)BA0701 Wrote: Was he one of those killed by the electric pole?

No, you prob think of Tsalala males..

RE: Lions of Sabi Sands - BA0701 - 10-23-2020

(10-23-2020, 01:34 AM)Tr1x24 Wrote:
(10-23-2020, 01:29 AM)BA0701 Wrote: Was he one of those killed by the electric pole?

No, you prob think of Tsalala males..

I thought the Sand River Pride had escaped through a hole in the fence caused by storm, and many were electrocuted by a downed power pole, and others were poisoned due to eating local livestock as a result. In fact, if I remember correctly some of those killed were Mapogo offspring. I am trying to find the story now, but if memory serves, @Potato had posted the story somewhere. I am looking for it now.

RE: Lions of Sabi Sands - BA0701 - 10-23-2020

(10-23-2020, 01:34 AM)Tr1x24 Wrote:
(10-23-2020, 01:29 AM)BA0701 Wrote: Was he one of those killed by the electric pole?

No, you prob think of Tsalala males..

Haven't located @Potato 's post yet, but I found this, it was definitely the Sand River Pride.

https://www.leopardhills.com/blog/safari-lodge-general/sand-river-pride-continued/

@Tr1x24 I found it, his post is #113 here, but the lion in the image @"TinoArmando" posted could not have been, as this happened in 2009.

https://wildfact.com/forum/topic-lion-tales?page=8&highlight=river+pride

RE: Lions of Sabi Sands - Tr1x24 - 10-23-2020

(10-23-2020, 01:45 AM)BA0701 Wrote: Haven't located @Potato 's post yet, but I found this, it was definitely the Sand River Pride.

https://www.leopardhills.com/blog/safari-lodge-general/sand-river-pride-continued/

@Tr1x24 I found it, his post is #113 here, but the lion in the image @TinoArmando posted could not have been, as this happened in 2009.

https://wildfact.com/forum/topic-lion-tales?page=8&highlight=river+pride

Those are Sand River pride of Mapogos.. 

Male on the picture in 2014 is 1 of the 3 Sand River males who where dominant over Southern Pride..

RE: Lions of Sabi Sands - T I N O - 10-23-2020

(10-23-2020, 01:41 AM)BA0701 Wrote:
(10-23-2020, 01:34 AM)Tr1x24 Wrote:
(10-23-2020, 01:29 AM)BA0701 Wrote: Was he one of those killed by the electric pole?

No, you prob think of Tsalala males..

I thought the Sand River Pride had escaped through a hole in the fence caused by storm, and many were electrocuted by a downed power pole, and others were poisoned due to eating local livestock as a result. In fact, if I remember correctly some of those killed were Mapogo offspring. I am trying to find the story now, but if memory serves, @Potato had posted the story somewhere. I am looking for it now.
The Sand River cubs (Mapogo sons) were shooted by SS authorities.

The lions who died electrocuted during a storm were the 2 Tsalala males (Majingilane sons)
Six large animals have died at South Africa's biggest national park after storms toppled a power cable.

A rhino, a giraffe, two lions and two hyenas were electrocuted when the power line came down in Kruger National Park.
You can read the full article here: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-47047889#:~:text=A%20rhino%2C%20a%20giraffe%2C%20two,down%20in%20Kruger%20National%20Park.&text=Isaac%20Phaahla%2C%20a%20spokesman%20for,Skukuza%20section%20of%20the%20park.

RE: Lions of Sabi Sands - T I N O - 10-23-2020

(10-23-2020, 01:41 AM)BA0701 Wrote:
(10-23-2020, 01:34 AM)Tr1x24 Wrote:
(10-23-2020, 01:29 AM)BA0701 Wrote: Was he one of those killed by the electric pole?

No, you prob think of Tsalala males..

I thought the Sand River Pride had escaped through a hole in the fence caused by storm, and many were electrocuted by a downed power pole, and others were poisoned due to eating local livestock as a result. In fact, if I remember correctly some of those killed were Mapogo offspring. I am trying to find the story now, but if memory serves, @Potato had posted the story somewhere. I am looking for it now.

Here a brief story of the Sand river cubs (Mapogo sons) by Leopard Hills Ranger.

In memory of a Great Pride.

As I read what had happened to the Sand River Pride, the tears flowed freely & I felt sick to my stomach…how could this happen? The people who are responsible for the death of these animals need to pay the price, justice needs to be done! Who do they think they are…they should not be in a position to make such decisions, especially in a government who is supposed to help protect the Wildlife of our country! These Lions could have been darted & brought back to the safety of the reserve. Those females fought so hard to protect those cubs & keep them alive only to meet their demise like that…it is not right! On too many occasions people get away with the murder of Wildlife & something needs to be done about it! I had the privelage of watching the cubs as they grew into the Beautiful males that they were…& my heart breaks at the thought of not seeing them again. My thoughts go out to you guys too as you have spent many more hours with them…you must be devastated!! I hope you don’t mind but I have uploaded a few pics of them…as a memory! (February 2009)

January 2009 - It is with a very heavy heart that I report to you the demise of the Sand River Pride.

Towards the end of last week we were notified that the Sand River Pride had broken out of the Reserve and were out in the Community Area adjacent to the Reserve. The information we were given was they had crossed out at a section of fence that had been washed away by the recent heavy rains. Immediately we had a sense of déjà vu, and remember clearly the shooting of seven member of the Sand River Pride three years ago having also broken out of the Reserve under very similar circumstances.

The law states quite clearly that if animals leave the protection of the Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve, they then become the responsibility and jurisdiction of the Mpumalanga Park Board, who are the local Provincial Authority for the adjacent areas of the Reserve.

We fully understand that the protection of the Local Community is our utmost priority and ensuring their safety has to and will always come first, however I do not believe that these Lions were posing a direct threat, a broken fence and the smell of domestic live stock was just too much for them. In the past we have always been given a chance to intervene and utilize all resources available to us, to get the Pride back into the Reserve, and in the rare occasions that the Pride has broken out, there has never been a threat to human beings, albeit the occasional livestock has been taken, for which we have always paid substantial compensation. I am saddened to report to you that no such chance was given on this occasion, and in the same communication we received that the Lions had broken out of the Reserve, we were also informed that the entire Pride, the two adult females and their 5 sub adult offspring had been shot.

The news of this tragic event not only infuriated us beyond belief, it has left us saddened to the point of despair, as I for one, have had the privilege and joy, as have so many of you, to witness this beautiful Pride for so many years.

There is not too much more I can write, for once words have escaped me, and I have been left with a hollow feeling, as we all have, as I am sure we could have intervened and brought them home, at least we should have been given the chance to try.

We are conducting a full investigation at present, we need to ensure that something like this never happens again, but for the Sand River Pride it has become a situation of “closing the stable door after the horse has bolted”. In a heart beat we have lost an entire gene pool of a Pride that should right now, be roaming the bush along the banks of the Sand River.

Yes we have other Prides of Lions that frequent our Traversing area, but that is not the point, it is a case of not who’s right, but what’s right.

Regards from a very sad Leopard Hills Team

RE: Lions of Sabi Sands - BA0701 - 10-23-2020

@Tr1x24 and @"TinoArmando" Yes, I am confusing two separate incidents. The Tsalala males were electrocuted, the Sand River Pride escaped and were poisoned. Apologies for any confusion caused.

RE: Lions of Sabi Sands - T I N O - 10-23-2020

(10-23-2020, 02:07 AM)BA0701 Wrote: @Tr1x24 and @"TinoArmando" Yes, I am confusing two separate incidents. The Tsalala males were electrocuted, the Sand River Pride escaped and were poisoned. Apologies for any confusion caused.

No worries @BA0701 
Afterall both incidents were really sad. Those Sand River males has a Mapogo blood runs from their blood.
They were really similar with Makhulu and 1 of them to Mr T. 
They were fathered by the six brothers,anyways.

RE: Lions of Sabi Sands - T I N O - 10-23-2020

Another great shot of the photographic Fourways male at Nkorho Bush Lodge
caption: The king resting while his pride is feasting on a giraffe kill.
Image by: Nkorho Bush Lodge

*This image is copyright of its original author

RE: Lions of Sabi Sands - T I N O - 10-23-2020

One of the old Matasaka/N'waswitshaka males at Kirkman's Kamp
Travel Diary: We have finally arrived at Kirkman's Kamp, and last night found me with a huge ear to ear smile at being back in the bush. How I have missed it! 
The highlight of the evening was seeing 2 large male lions, who are new to the area and are nicknamed the Matasaka males. They are real brutes, and seeing them after dusk meant we could take some lovely spotlit images- one of my favourite ways to photograph lions. They also managed a few gentle calls, which is a great sound to hear and one of those I have missed! Here one of the huge males flashes me a wild eyed look...
Image by: Laura Dyer Photography
Image date back from: October 2013

*This image is copyright of its original author

RE: Lions of Sabi Sands - T I N O - 10-23-2020

The absolutely good looking Torchwood young male seen recently with the Torchwood pride at MalaMala Game Reserve
Screenshot from: Daniel Charles Bailey(Insta post)
MalaMala GR,22.10.2020.

*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 image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author


RE: Lions of Sabi Sands - T I N O - 10-23-2020

Tittle: An Encounter with the Ntsevu Pride’s Newest Member

Since March I have been relishing the thought of getting back to the bush. During the course of the last few months I would often ponder as to what the animals, with which I had become so familiar, have been getting up to since I last saw them.  Thankfully, Londolozi opened its doors to guests this month and I was able to discover firsthand what some of the animals had busied themselves with during ‘lockdown’.

On one particular morning we had found a portion of the Ntsevu pride lying up in an open clearing. As we sat with the sleeping lions we heard a soft call of a lioness. The call was not a roar, but rather a gentle call – the kind of call that a lioness might use to make contact with her cub. Immediately we decided that we should go and investigate a little further. As we rounded the corner where the gentle call originated, we were greeted by the most amazing sight; trotting hastily behind its mother was the Ntsevu pride’s youngest cub.  This little cub is so young that it still has its spots clearly displayed on its face and we estimate that the youngster is less than 8 weeks old. As luck would have it, both the mother and cub were very relaxed and we were treated to an intimate sighting of the two playing in the dew covered grass.

After about twenty minutes, both mother and cub got up and descended the tree-lined bank of the Sand River and vanished from sight. As we reflected on this special sighting, it occurred to me that the fact that this cub even exists is proof that the pairing of the Birmingham males and the Ntsevu females has indeed been a successful one. With the Birmingham and Ntsevu’s first set of cubs approaching three years of age, the females are now ready to have new litters of cubs. Hopefully the partnership between these lions lasts long into the future so that this little cub will be joined by many more and continue to grow the Ntsevu dynasty.
Image by: Nick Sims

Londolozi GR,22.10.2020.

*This image is copyright of its original author

Introducing the newest member of the mighty Ntsevu pride.

*This image is copyright of its original author

[i]Mother and cub steal a moment together. The mother has only recently introduced the cub to the rest of the pride and the pair still spend a lot of time away from the pride.[/i]
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*This image is copyright of its original author
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[i]The little cub was in a playful mood on this remarkable morning. Play is an important teacher and lion cubs develop physically and mentally by playing with their parents and siblings.[/i]
[i]
*This image is copyright of its original author
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[i][i]All forgiven. The mother takes a moment to groom her cub. By grooming the cub, the lioness ensures that it stays relatively clean as well as strengthens the bond between her and her little one.[/i][/i]
[i][i]
*This image is copyright of its original author
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[i][i][i]The cub reciprocates its mother’s affection by offering a gentle face rub.[/i][/i][/i]
[i][i][i]
*This image is copyright of its original author
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[i][i][i][i]The cub paused to give us one last look before disappearing into the Sand River behind its mother.[/i][/i][/i][/i]

RE: Lions of Sabi Sands - Tr1x24 - 10-23-2020

2 Sand River young males seen with their sister on H1-2, near Skukuza, Kruger Sightings :


*This image is copyright of its original author


*This image is copyright of its original author


Theres a lot of nomadic Mantimahle offspring hanging around that area, this 2 SR males, 2 Plains Camp males and 2 s36/Mantimahle males, will be interesting to see if some of them might form a coalition (like Bboys sons did) or maybe they clash with each others..

RE: Lions of Sabi Sands - Potato - 10-23-2020

~Update on the Tumbela Male Lion  Coalition~


This trio of young male lions have been providing frequent and fantastic sightings as they continue to explore more and more of the reserve.

Although the Tumbela Coalition continue to traverse through the Matimba Male's territory, these males continue to miss each other and no territorial disputes, that we know of, have erupted.

Nature is a wonderful teacher of patience as we wait to see how this story will unfold.


*This image is copyright of its original author


RE: Lions of Sabi Sands - Gijima - 10-23-2020

(10-23-2020, 07:10 PM)Potato Wrote: ~Update on the Tumbela Male Lion  Coalition~


This trio of young male lions have been providing frequent and fantastic sightings as they continue to explore more and more of the reserve.

Although the Tumbela Coalition continue to traverse through the Matimba Male's territory, these males continue to miss each other and no territorial disputes, that we know of, have erupted.

Nature is a wonderful teacher of patience as we wait to see how this story will unfold.


*This image is copyright of its original author

Nice! And it looks like their manes are coming in too...

Also great updates on the Sand River kids. I wonder if the Nk and Styx male may be hanging out in that area too.