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The Mighty Mapogos
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 (10-18-2016, 09:34 PM)Pckts Wrote: Blast from the Past: This Ulusaba report was included in the article "The Mapogo Story" written by Aquila and Karen in VA: https://wildearth.tv/2008/05/the-mapogo-...TDeXicSoVY In a comment under the article Rob the Ranger says: "Great Article, well researched, just one correction to the story - the Ottawa cubs that were killed in early 2007 were sired by the Nhlanguleni male and not the older of the Mapogo... We actually watched one of the young male cubs being eaten by "Mr T" close to our lodge (Idube)." Who's telling the truth? I think Rob the Ranger is mistaken: the Mapogos took over the Othawa Pride in the spring of 2006. Hard to believe that Nhlanguleni cubs were let alive until the beginning of 2007.
Tonight
By James Kydd Londolozi, August 6, 2007 Tonight we watched the sun set behind a prime breeding male lion as he called out his challenge to the wind. Tonight we watched a battle-hardened lion huntress sharing her nyala kill with her son, still alive against all the odds. Tonight we watched a red moon rise over the river reeds, full enough to hold the water, distracted only by the Christmas tree twinkling of the fireflies. This was our night. https://rangerdiaries.com/diary/tonight/ Makhulu; 9 years old  *This image is copyright of its original author
September 2011
"The Mapogo brothers are covering a lot of ground lately. With pressure coming from the east, they are actively defending their territory." http://davidwilsonphotographic.blogspot.com/2011/09/  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author
March 2011
"The Mapogo's have been seen throughout the Western sector. Sataan seems to have accepted the cubs and we have had no recent fatalities." http://davidwilsonphotographic.blogspot.com/2011/03/  *This image is copyright of its original author
March 2011
"One of the Mapogo’s and a Ximungwe Lioness were found south of Dam Five. We were trying to find them for some time but without much success. Fortunately they started roaring while we were on the dam wall and they were located south of the dam. Both were vocalising on a regular basis." http://davidwilsonphotographic.blogspot.com/2011/03/  *This image is copyright of its original author
April 2011 (week 3 highlights)
"One of the Mapogo Males was located on the clearings at Nkombe Dam. We arrived at nightfall and we were treated to the male roaring. This has to be the most spectacular sound that one can hear at night from the African bush." http://davidwilsonphotographic.blogspot....ights.html  *This image is copyright of its original author
April 2011 (week 2 highlights)
"The Mapogo’s have been quite active and very vocal this week. Having traversed their whole territory and providing spectacular roaring displays at dusk. They joined up with some of the Ximungwe lionesses on occasion but were otherwise actively patrolling together." http://davidwilsonphotographic.blogspot....ights.html  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author
May 2011
"The lion sightings this week have been especially good. The mapogo brothers have been on their own for a few days. Skorro mapogo was found lying up at Tawny Eagle Pan. This particular male spent two days at the dam probably as a result of a full stomach. He has been quite vocal, roaring often from the dam." http://davidwilsonphotographic.blogspot.com/2011/05/  *This image is copyright of its original author
May 2011
"Later in the week the three mapogo’s two Ximungwe lionesses and two cubs were resting on the wall at Cutline Dam. It seems that the Ximungwe pride is slowly getting back to normal as the mapogo who was killing the previous cubs has now accepted the new arrivals." http://davidwilsonphotographic.blogspot.com/2011/05/  *This image is copyright of its original author
May 2011
"The week finished off with some fantastic action. We were following the largest of the mapogo brothers near Ebony Dam after dark. Suddenly the large male lion charged and into the darkness and caught a fleeing male warthog." http://davidwilsonphotographic.blogspot.com/2011/05/  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author "After suffocating the unsuspecting warthog the male lion dragged the carcass to a suitable spot. He fed on the carcass without the competition of the coalition members."  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author
April 2011 (week 4 highlights)
"The Mapogos have been seen regularly. Satan was found on Sally's clearing with one of the Ximungwe females with very full bellies."  *This image is copyright of its original author "The following evening two of the brothers killed an impala ram on Tree Stump road. Satan was to busy trying to keep his share of the prize while the older male kept eating."  *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 http://davidwilsonphotographic.blogspot....ights.html
April 2011 (week 1 highlights)
"The lion viewing this week has been very good! The Mapogos were showing interest in an old buffalo wandering across Schotia Dam clearing. They soon lost interest and went back to the usual morning nap."  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author "The following morning we found two males from the Mapogo coalition, with four females from the Ximungwe pride and both sets of cubs, on a young giraffe kill on the western firebreak. The good news is that Sataan (the male who has killed all the cubs) was with the kill, and seemed to have accepted all the cubs. "  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author The oldest male from the coalition arrived the following day, and the kill was finished pretty quickly thereafter. http://davidwilsonphotographic.blogspot....ights.html
MalaMala report:
"JULY 2000 7 ADULT FEMALES (between 6 years & 9 months and 6 years & 4 months of age) 1 SUB ADULT FEMALE * 22 months 1 SUB ADULT MALE * 22 months 1 CUB * 6 months 1 CUB * 5 months 3 CUBS * 3 months Location: WESTERN MALA MALA/ WESTERN FLOCKFIELD The exact status of cubs of the Eyrefield Pride remains unclear. Last months viewing indicated that there were only two young cubs, these the survivors of five, the youngest of which had been killed by the buffalo of the large herd. However, at the beginning of July there was a brief appearance of three cubs of perhaps less than three months of age. This was the only encounter with these youngsters during July. Also confusing matters has been the fact that only one other cub was seen later in the month, indicating that perhaps the second older youngster may also have met with an untimely end. However, the fact that at most sightings of these lions at least one of the lionesses has been absent hints too that she has remained behind to care for any cubs. There was a quite distant sighting early in the month of two lionesses lying in the Manyelethi River, one of which appeared to be lactating. This area is very rocky and full of good cub repositories and also an area known to be used from time to time by the Eyrefield Pride, so maybe the lionesses seen were from this family. Hopefully viewing over the next few weeks will produce a clearer picture. Although the brother of the approximately two-year-old female was not seen during June, a young male of approximately this age made an appearance amongst the females of the pride this month. However, the lionesses made it quite clear that he was not welcome and although even the West Street Males also directed aggression towards this young male, it was the females that showed the greatest animosity. Nonetheless, the young male stayed on, the suffering obviously worth the food he was able to eke out from the group of females which would be the most successful hunters. At his age and particularly being alone, survival would be tough (he botched an attempt at stealing a cheetahs kill until much later when most of the meat had been consumed - a more experienced lion may well have known what was happening) and the option of staying on would be most desirable. The reaction of the females towards this young male is not easy to explain, but may have something to do with all of the young cubs suddenly making appearances and since he would be of little use as a hunter or defender of territory, would only be another mouth to feed. From the side of the West Street Males, however, this young male would be no threat to their dominance and could be tolerated. It could also be that this young male is not the brother of the young female of the Eyrefield Pride and is one which had simply become separated from his own pride and latched onto the Eyrefield Pride in the hopes that he would at least get food. Adding strength to this theory was a sighting of lions probably belonging to the Pride often confused with the Marthly Pride. These lions were only three in number, lacking one of the young males usually in attendance. This family, which has not been named due to the limited knowledge of their status, sometimes wanders into one of the peripheral areas of the Eyrefield Prides territory and it may be that in one of these wanderings they became separated and the young male found himself on his own and unable catch up with the others." From this report we learn that Makhulu joined Sparta Pride in July 2000. From which pride he actually came? Not so clear, but definitely not Tsalala! (It is believed that the pride MalaMala talks about is Castleton/Ximhungwue Pride.) Young Makhulu (2003?). PC Unknown  *This image is copyright of its original author
Exactly 8 years ago:
"All three Mapogo are back together in the western sector. For the last few days Makhulu and Bent Spine have been feeding on elephant calf near Ottawa airstrip and Mr T have been running around the western sector looking for them, they only responded to his call last night when the carcass if fished. Nasty brothers! Mr T is hungry and angry. He tried the buffalo this morning, got very little help from his 'pregnant' brothers and he became the hunted, buffalo got away." (Khimbini, July 7, 2011) https://www.facebook.com/khimbiniphotogr...=3&theater  *This image is copyright of its original author
(10-17-2015, 05:32 AM)Jack-T Wrote: Just take a look what Khimbini Hlongwane said. Don't infer so many conclusions from a testimony of someone who only saw the end of the fight and told us a story starting with "apparently". In my opinion such posts are suitable on Facebook, but not on a forum like this. |
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