(03-11-2022, 12:54 PM)lionuk Wrote: Dark Mane wandered even south to the territory of N'was males. Hopefully he will head the north soon, though, and rejoin the Talamati pride. 
Credit: keenan 

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(03-14-2022, 09:10 PM)WildLeonis Wrote:

(03-11-2022, 12:54 PM)lionuk Wrote: Dark Mane wandered even south to the territory of N'was males. Hopefully he will head the north soon, though, and rejoin the Talamati pride. 
Credit: keenan 

*This image is copyright of its original author

Strange developments with DM. First he’s seen on a giraffe kill with the Kambula sub-adults, then in N’was territory. Now it’s being reported he’s gone into Kruger. 

I guess the hopes and beliefs that he’d join back up with Mohawk/Blondie are pretty much nil at this point. I hope he stays safe because he seems to be taking a lot of risks lately.

(03-14-2022, 11:51 PM)Rabubi Wrote: True. DM is really playing with fire by straying so far out of his usual territory, particularly in a region of Kruger that is stacked with powerful male coalitions. Him rejoining his brothers is pretty much a dead issue at this point (unless Mother Nature dictates otherwise) but the longer he stays south, the higher his chances of losing his territory and Talamati pride.

Correct me if I'm wrong but his immediate rivals to his territory are the Imbali male and the Kruger male, no?

(03-15-2022, 12:53 AM)Tr1x24 Wrote:

(03-14-2022, 11:51 PM)Rabubi Wrote: True. DM is really playing with fire by straying so far out of his usual territory, particularly in a region of Kruger that is stacked with powerful male coalitions. Him rejoining his brothers is pretty much a dead issue at this point (unless Mother Nature dictates otherwise) but the longer he stays south, the higher his chances of losing his territory and Talamati pride.

Correct me if I'm wrong but his immediate rivals to his territory are the Imbali male and the Kruger male, no?

Him moving out means he doesnt consider himself a dominant/territorial male anymore (nobody directly tookover his territory),in fact, he prob didn't consider himself a dominant male for few months now, he was only following and staying with Talamatis for food, once they abandon him, he moved out.. 

Now, why he "lost" his dominance is quite a mystery, but here are few "possible" reasons:

1. In late 2021, he got heavly pressured by Imbali male, even chased few times, he didn't stand to him, and allow him to take part of his territory and few females, althrough now Imbali male and those Talamati females are further north, that scenario showed us "cracks" in DM's confidence and dominance, if he is affraid to confort 1 enemy male and defend his territory and pride, well, you are not capable of being territorial male. 

2. In late 2021, his 2 brothers, who where expanding south, got push back into his "domain", althrough majority of people think these 3 still operate as coalition, we now see they dont. That doesnt mean that Mohawk and Blondie would attack or harm him , they wouldn't, but they are clearly "stronger" and more dominant then him (Mohawk dominating DM on that video), and since they returned back north, DM who couldn't stand to them, was in a way "pressured" by them and squeezed on a small territory. Lions feel weakness, Mohawk and Blondie definitely felt that in DM, and thats prob the reason why they didn't accept him back, or he was too afraid to even try to come back...Lion society works on "strenght", even if you are brothers, if you are weak and dont stand up, you will get bullied and beaten (another recent example is Skorro Jr and Scar, lions helping each others are fairy tails..)

3. Now, why is DM confidence so low, theres definitely a reason for that, and i believe its his foot injury, yes, he is walking better recently, but im 100% sure that injury definitely took a tool on his mental state and confidence over the years, he became shell of himself, and althrough most people disagreed, i believe that that injury is the reason why he distance himself from his brothers in a first place and sticked with Talamatis only (he didn't have to fight and compete with his brothers). 

4. He also might have some unknown to us health problems, in recent months he was seen quite skinny few times, which is unusuall for him, and he lost a bit of mane recently. Lions who are on a death door step, feel that, they just move out of their area, roam around, eventually never to be seen again (hope thats not the case with DM..) 

I think mixure of all these things (except 4. , which we dont know if thats the case) is the reason, Talamatis abandoning him was only a trigger for his issues.

(03-15-2022, 06:54 AM)DARK MANE Wrote:

(03-15-2022, 12:53 AM)Tr1x24 Wrote:

(03-14-2022, 11:51 PM)Rabubi Wrote: True. DM is really playing with fire by straying so far out of his usual territory, particularly in a region of Kruger that is stacked with powerful male coalitions. Him rejoining his brothers is pretty much a dead issue at this point (unless Mother Nature dictates otherwise) but the longer he stays south, the higher his chances of losing his territory and Talamati pride.

Correct me if I'm wrong but his immediate rivals to his territory are the Imbali male and the Kruger male, no?

Him moving out means he doesnt consider himself a dominant/territorial male anymore (nobody directly tookover his territory),in fact, he prob didn't consider himself a dominant male for few months now, he was only following and staying with Talamatis for food, once they abandon him, he moved out.. 

Now, why he "lost" his dominance is quite a mystery, but here are few "possible" reasons:

1. In late 2021, he got heavly pressured by Imbali male, even chased few times, he didn't stand to him, and allow him to take part of his territory and few females, althrough now Imbali male and those Talamati females are further north, that scenario showed us "cracks" in DM's confidence and dominance, if he is affraid to confort 1 enemy male and defend his territory and pride, well, you are not capable of being territorial male. 

2. In late 2021, his 2 brothers, who where expanding south, got push back into his "domain", althrough majority of people think these 3 still operate as coalition, we now see they dont. That doesnt mean that Mohawk and Blondie would attack or harm him , they wouldn't, but they are clearly "stronger" and more dominant then him (Mohawk dominating DM on that video), and since they returned back north, DM who couldn't stand to them, was in a way "pressured" by them and squeezed on a small territory. Lions feel weakness, Mohawk and Blondie definitely felt that in DM, and thats prob the reason why they didn't accept him back, or he was too afraid to even try to come back...Lion society works on "strenght", even if you are brothers, if you are weak and dont stand up, you will get bullied and beaten (another recent example is Skorro Jr and Scar, lions helping each others are fairy tails..)

3. Now, why is DM confidence so low, theres definitely a reason for that, and i believe its his foot injury, yes, he is walking better recently, but im 100% sure that injury definitely took a tool on his mental state and confidence over the years, he became shell of himself, and althrough most people disagreed, i believe that that injury is the reason why he distance himself from his brothers in a first place and sticked with Talamatis only (he didn't have to fight and compete with his brothers). 

4. He also might have some unknown to us health problems, in recent months he was seen quite skinny few times, which is unusuall for him, and he lost a bit of mane recently. Lions who are on a death door step, feel that, they just move out of their area, roam around, eventually never to be seen again (hope thats not the case with DM..) 

I think mixure of all these things (except 4. , which we dont know if thats the case) is the reason, Talamatis abandoning him was only a trigger for his issues.

What a explaination!!!
Completely agree. 
Just one point, why couldn't he make coalition with his own sons?? 
Whether they also smell the weakness? 
But anyway, they have to leave the pride now or then. 
There are 6 talanati girls, all sexually active and most importantly without any cubs. No male/ coalition gonna loose this opportunity. PC/Tumbellas/ imbali Or even mohawk/ blondie are the top contenders. 
Wasn't it a bad deal to have a fully grown male lion with dark mane on your side when u will start nomadic life as a coalition of just 2 subs

Quote:The same issues as him joining up with his brothers I guess. All they see is a frail weak liability. While he himself is probably not yet willing to accept that his days as a king are over permanently and that he needs to submit to others for protection. 

I think he is looking for a unprotected pride where he can be the lone king of again with zero rivals. But that only exists in his fantasies.

(03-15-2022, 06:54 AM)DARK MANE Wrote: Just one point, why couldn't he make coalition with his own sons?? 

(03-21-2022, 01:26 PM)lionuk Wrote: DM seen on Sabi Sabi

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Credit: Til pictures