There is a world somewhere between reality and fiction. Although ignored by many, it is very real and so are those living in it. This forum is about the natural world. Here, wild animals will be heard and respected. The forum offers a glimpse into an unknown world as well as a room with a view on the present and the future. Anyone able to speak on behalf of those living in the emerald forest and the deep blue sea is invited to join.
Scenes like this one from a few years back of the @blackdampride may soon again be possible, after confirmed reports that another 5 #lion cubs have been seen in the Monwana pride of #lions.
This brings to 7, the amount of known cubs in the pride, with another 3 females yet to give birth after mating the past couple of months.
The 4 Blackdam Pride #lioness have also all mated, and in a matter of months the population of these large cats could explode as new generations of females look to raise offspring to adulthood.
The lions had a busy week, but it seems as though they reserved their efforts for when I wasn’t around. The biggest event of the week was waking up to hear the limping Nharhu male roaring very close to camp as we were about to head out for morning drive, but it took us over hour to eventually catch up with him – not bad for a lion that hobbles around on three legs! However, that morning was down to the fact that he had somehow picked up on the presence of the Balule females and Dundee male and prompt set out in search of them and from the tracks of both parties, he must have caught up with them because they were all going all over the show! It was really the last thing we wanted to happen just as the small pride were starting to get settled, and with one female showing signs of being pregnant, they will be less likely to have cubs in the area if the threat of Nharhu males persists. It doesn’t appear as though they had physical contact, and in the days that followed it was actually very positive to see that the Balule lionesses stayed within the area for most of the week. They hadn’t reunited with the Dundee male, but his tracks and occasional roar could be heard in the west. The Nharhu males moved around in the eastern sections, and they were seen together with the whole River Pride on our southern boundary one morning, but naturally they disappeared for a few days when I went out in search of them. As the week drew to a close, Glen and I headed into the area to see what we could find and after some searching found tracks for a lone lioness going up and down the road. Then we noticed the tracks of the cubs, and counted three sets of tracks going back where she came from. We had seen hyenas milling around in the area, and when the lion tracks headed straight into that area, we knew we were onto something, and sure enough found the River Pride lionesses, the two older cubs, as well as our first view of the three new little ones! It was a brief view, as we were the first vehicle they had seen, but mom soon coaxed them back to the area of the wildebeest kill. Sadly it was already getting warm in the late morning and another lioness dragged the kill into the thickets on the banks of the Machaton, and whilst we could hear the cubs, the grass was so long and thick that there was practically no view of them. Fortunately though, we know where they are, so hopefully this time next week you will be seeing some new photos of them! In other lion news, the Sark-breakaways were seen on a couple of occasions in the west, but with so few game drive vehicles operating in the area, it was tough to keep track of them.
Although the seasons march on, one constant remains here at Klaserie Drift - the mighty River pride have proven to be the stars of the show, yet again. Now numbering an impressive 25 lions with the discovery of two more young cubs last month, the River females and their cubs continue to flourish under the powerful protection of the dominant males, Hosi and Socha.
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However, with so many mouths to feed - especially amongst the many insatiable teenage boys - some of the females and older cubs have been spotted occasionally separating from the majority. With a super pride such as this, it is perhaps inevitable that some breakaway groups will begin to form until these sub-adults reach maturity and move away from the pride. This will relieve the pressure on the females to hunt and, hopefully, allow the remaining members to stay together as one unit. This happens anytime from about 2 years old so, with the eldest male cubs almost 20 months, we could be saying ‘sayonara’ to some of our beautiful boys sooner than we would like. Although, all is not lost! One female is currently showing signs of coming into oestrus meaning there may yet be more tiny paws to come in the near future…
Looking forward to another #wildlife photographic #safari this afternoon where I will be taking my guests into the southern portions of the reserve where I got this sighting of the @blackdampride of #lions a few months ago.
Currently this area is the hiding spot of the 3 Thornybush Male lions, who at just over three years are in danger of being found by the 2 Xikukutsu males along with the Mapoza male #lion as they cement their rule over the entire reserve here at @royalmalewane
Standing on an elevated rise this evening, the Mapoza Male #lion is showing the battle scars inflicted by his “tolerated” coalition partners, the Xikukutsu male #lions who have been in running battles with each other of late, as they all vie for rights to mate with the females from the @blackdampride
Not far off was one of the Xikukutsu #lion males, roaring into the darkness of the night, creating the perfect end to our #wildlife photographic #safari here at @royalmalewane in South Africa.
Ended off today’s #wildlife photographic #safari here at @royalmalewane with a sighting of #lions that included the Mapoza Male, one roaring Xikukutsu male #lion, and 2 of the females from the @blackdampride
Some excerpts from the 2014-16 KwaMbili ranger diaries detailing the interactions between Marvin the old Northern (Monwana) pride male, and the younger Blackdam and Timbavati males. Credit: KwaMbili Lodge.
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Image: Shumbala Lodge
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Image: Kirsten Feltmann
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Image: Courtney Yang
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Image: Kirsten Feltmann
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Image: Alyce van Norden
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Image: Charlene Leicester
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Neither the Timbavati male or Marvin were seen after 2016. Image: Peraoin
It turns out that it can actually be a Sumatra male as he together with Hercules male are in the arena. They were seen in north-eastern Thornybush which is close Kambaku Lodge I shared post from.
Timbavati update - Yesterday in the afternoon we received information from the Greater Kruger National Park (Timbavati Game Reserve) about a dead male lion. The ID of the dead male remains unknown at the moment, but rangers suspect that is the injured Monwana male. (We still are waiting for more information)
Timbavati FB PAGE
04-08-2021, 10:29 PM( This post was last modified: 04-08-2021, 10:30 PM by Potato )
(04-08-2021, 10:03 PM)TinoArmando Wrote: Timbavati update - Yesterday in the afternoon we received information from the Greater Kruger National Park (Timbavati Game Reserve) about a dead male lion. The ID of the dead male remains unknown at the moment, but rangers suspect that is the injured Monwana male. (We still are waiting for more information)
Timbavati FB PAGE
Hopefully it will turn out to be false. Monwana boys are just on the very beggining on their prime, whole life should be ahead of them. There are probably also cubs on the way in Giraffe pride and the ramaining Monwana male would have hard time in trying to stick into his dominant position on his own. Where the body has been found?
