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The Mighty Mapogos
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Mr.T feasting on a giraffe.
_______________ Dated : March 2008 Location: Londolozi Credits : Photographer kokes  *This image is copyright of its original author
Mr.T and Rasta Mapogo
_________________ Date: June 11, 2007 Credits: Photographer: noushaf  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author
Mr.T and Rasta and one other Mapogo
_________________ Date: June 11, 2007 Credits: Photographer: noushaf  *This image is copyright of its original author
Pretty Boy Mapogo
______________ Dated: September 2006 Credits: Matt Straumann  *This image is copyright of its original author
Kinky Tail Mapogo
______________ Dated: September 2006 Credits: Matt Straumann  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author
Mr.T/SaTan Mapogo
______________ Dated: September 2006 Credits: Matt Straumann  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author
Mapogo male after a meal
______________ Dated: September 2006 Credits: Matt Straumann  *This image is copyright of its original author
01/02/2012 – Lion dynamics
by Chris Renshaw: Co-owner Safari Architects ________________________ On a recent trip to the Savanna Private Game reserve in the Sabi Sands game reserve, I was once again lucky enough to see the mighty and famous Mapogo male lion coalitions and one of the resident female prides, the Ximungwe pride. These lions are one the main reasons why I am so fascinated by lion behaviour, and I have learnt so much about pride dynamics from them. I have had countless sightings with these incredible lions over the years, and even though they are now in the twilight of their dominance, they still surprise me. We were on an afternoon game drive at Savanna Private Game reserve when we received a call that the resident Ximungwe pride had made an impala kill. It was only a two month old lamb, so the prize was a small one. As the sun had gone down, we knew the interactions would be great, and would add to my guests experience. Now, with one of the Mapogo males with the pride, it was definite that the male would takeover the carcass and feed until he was satisfied. There was a brief scuffle, but the females and cubs reliquished there hard earned prize, and left the male to it. With him gorging himself, another of the Mapogo males had heard the commotion, and rushed in to see if he could get a piece of the action. Now, if you have seen male lions in a coalition before, you will know they are very close bonds between. However, these are all lost in the heat of the moment when food is around. Another almighty scuffle erupted, with the original mapogo claimimg what was left of the kill. The entering Mapogo sheepishly moved away, and in true male lion arrogance, found a female and proceeded to make his breeding intentions known. During all of this, the cubs (All male, three 9 months old and one 6 months) were completely focused on the male devouring the carcass. Bit by bit they crept closer and closer, until all four were right below the male lions nose. This is extremely dangerous territory, as mentioned above male lions are different creatures when food is involved! Showing classic submissive cat behaviour, they tried everything to get a piece of the carcass. Each time the male would growl loudly, and they would back off. What is strange, is that he was remarkably calm about the cubs, and would just give a warning grunt each time they approached. Eventually, the smallest and most adventurous cub could not stand it any longer, and dashed in, with three others close behind. With a quick, firm couple of paw swipes, the male showed the cubs exactly what he thought of this! All cubs were swatted away, but not without the smallest cub getting a large piece of impala leg. The smallest and lighest cub had triumphed! However, a tug of war ensued between the four cubs, with the smallest more than holding his own. Grunts, growls, hissing and fighting ensued, and if you have not had the privilage of hearing this, I can assure you that the noise is breathtaking! The leg was quickly finished, and the cubs turned their attenttion back to the male and the remainder of the carcass. At this point the male decided he had enough, and the cubs all launched in for a feeding frenzy. Again, the smallest and lighest cub came away with the prize!. More growling, fighting, paw slapping and aggression ensued, and slowly but surely the little cub was losing his grip. This led to one more almighty cub battle, which caused the male to return with aggressive intent. Enter the lionesses. The saying ‘hell hath no fury like a women scorned’ should be changed to ‘hell hath no fury like a protective lioness!!’. The lionesses saw the danger that the male lion possesed, and rose like a stallion on her back legs, giving the male three almighty paw swipes on his nose. Unbeknown to us, during all this, the smallest cub saw his oppurtunity, and once again outwitted his siblings! We quickly focused on the carcass again and saw the three cubs staring in bewilderment, as the smallest cub had dashed off with the spoils. Moments like these when I see the raw power and behaviour of lions, makes me respect them even more. It was an amazing evening to share with guests, and I am sure they left with phenomenal memories permanently etched of what amzing creatures lions are. As the action was so intense, I watched than rather pick up my camera. Below are some pictures of the cubs and an example of the scuffle that ensued.  *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://www.safariarchitects.com/2012/02/lion-dynamics/
A Lion Dynasty of the Sabi Sand
Quote:Lions are African icons. They represent all that is powerful and raw, yet unmistakably majestic. I think this is why we have such a fascination with them. They have the ability to change whole ecosystems and are, in fact, pivotal in natural areas where they occur. In certain reserves which we frequent, we are often able to have a clear understanding of how and why they emit certain behaviours, as we follow prides and male coalitions closely. After watching the lion feature in the recent documentary series from the BBC named “Dynasties”, I realised I have been privy to this exact phenomenon. With a few fantastic sightings I’ve recently had on safaris, I thought it would be a good idea to sum up the lion dynasty of an area very special to me. I started as guide in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve many years ago and, since then, my colleagues and I have watched with intrigue lion dynamics play out. This story will therefore follow the lions of the central Sabi Sand Game Reserve, from 2006 until the present-day. This story begins thirteen years ago, when I started working as a guide in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve as a young, inexperienced and “wet behind the ears” lad. This was also when one of the most famous lion coalitions in Africa decided to shake up the whole dynamic of some 65 000 hectares of wild land. This coalition was called the “Mapogos”, and they paved the way for a regime shift and a genetic revitalisation. They were successful in claiming a huge territory along with many prides of lions. This did mean, however, that many lions perished due to the behavioural characteristics of males when claiming territory… in fact, over one hundred lions lost their lives. This was brutal at the time, but quite necessary in the bigger scheme of things in order to clean up gene pools and pave the way for future generations. Although extremely effective in controlling their territory, due to internal fighting amongst the males, not many cubs of theirs were to survive to adulthood. They did, however, provide the platform for lions to thrive again over the coming decades and one such thriving platform is the dynasty that I will be focusing on: The dynasty of the Tsalala pride. After the well-documented demise of the Mapogo coalition, there was a huge gap and blank slate to now occupy and fill. This is when the Majingalane coalition stepped up. They were, in breeding terms, without doubt the most successful male lion coalition in the Sabi Sand for the last two decades. As a result, the lionesses of all the prides they had dominion over flourished. Fortunately, we have had the great privilege of following this and most recently I was rewarded with a sighting that I have waited thirteen years for… It starts with the Tsalala pride of the Londolozi and Singita Private Game Reserves. They were one of the very few prides that carried the Mapogo genes after their demise. They produced a litter of cubs with them that would have to dodge all incoming male lions and complicated dynamics, and they managed to raise them amid this tumultuous time. They got to an age (3 – 4 years) just in time to be seen as viable breeding lioness by the now dominant Majingalane males. Once the male lion dynamics were stable, they split from their mothers and formed their own pride around 2012: the Mhangeni pride. As they grew their territory and hunting prowess, we realised that the Mhangeni pride was very special. They were young, strong and very capable of hunting. They would often move great distances to hunt and patrol, and worked really hard at being the dominant pride of a very productive area. They owned hunting areas North and South of the Sand River, and were very much in the protection of the strong Majingalane males. Once the three females started mating, it wouldn’t be long until we would see the next generation. The Majingalaine males fathered cubs with a few other prides, but for now we will focus on this lineage and dynasty, as it is part of the Mapogo and Tsalala blood line. I will never forget the first time I saw the cubs of the Mhangeni females. It is still one of the highlights of my guiding career. Furthermore, to have had the privilege of watching them grow up is something I will always be thankful for. In addition, who knew that these cubs I was watching in 2013 would give me another highlight in 2018? Read on… Over the next few years this pride prospered. With nine cubs in total, six females and three males, they were a force to be reckoned with. The cubs grew fast, and were safe due to their fathers being such impressive custodians of the territory they won. The pride and coalition provided us with some phenomenal sightings and, as they grew, the strength of the pride increased. The cubs started to join in hunting forays bringing down large game such as buffalo, giraffe, male kudu and wildebeest. It is the time in any lions life where all seems easy. This would inevitably change, as with anything, growing up comes with consequences and new responsibilities. This all came a head one day when we heard a hell of a commotion in their Northern Territory. We rushed there and found the whole pride and two Majingalane males with them. They had killed a wildebeest, but the males were in a different mood. They charged in and chased them off the carcass, and asserted dominance over the whole pride. The young males especially were targeted. They were now of an age where their fathers were of the opinion it was soon time for them to make their own way in life This triggered a change, and the young males and females were often found on their own. They had learnt how to hunt and although not yet as adept as their mothers, they were getting by. I saw them kill an old buffalo cow, and straight away I realised that these lions were going to be a force to be reckoned with. Generally, the lionesess will stick with their mothers and natal pride, whereas the males will make their own way in life as is their way. However, what we have seen in the Sabi Sand over the last two decades with lionesses is that this is often not the case. If their current pride has 2-4 adult lionesses already, often the new youngsters that have grown up together will split and form a new pride. Having said this, the six sub adult lionesses of the Mhangeni pride would do just that. The six lionesses that split, formed a new pride and took over a portion of their mothers territory. This was around early 2017 and they were to be called the Ntsevu pride (meaning “six” in the local language). They were just like their mothers: confident, strong, and (with six lionesses) great hunters! Fast forward now to 2018, and the lion dynamics have changed once again. The Majingalne males that had secured their dynasty and lineage with many prides, had now been defeated. The last male died in early 2018, and this opened the door once again for new males. In stepped the impressive Birmingham male lions, and they took over the whole territory and with that, the prides in it. This included their mothers, the Mhangeni pride and now the new Ntsevu pride. It sounds like a soap opera, but what an awesome story to be a part of. Recently, I was at Londolozi Game Reserve and was very keen to hear and see the latest update. Now, I have been very fortunate to have seen some wonderful things in my life. One thing has eluded me though: to see a lion or a leopard lift up and move her cubs, the classic “cub in mouth” moment. Little did I know I wouldn’t have to wait much longer, as one of the Ntsevu lionesses had cubs and was about to grant me my ultimate wish. She called her cubs out, and picked one of them up… I fumbled with my camera, but managed a few shots – the new highlight of my guiding career. This was made even better by the fact that I could share it with my guests, the continuation of a journey and story that started thirteen years ago. What a memory! The last thirteen years of lion dynamics in the Sabi Sand have been humbling to watch. This would not be possible without all the guests that visit these reserves and lodges, and the tireless work of all the properties and the Sabi Sand Game Reserve to make sure these lions have a safe and wild home. This story is a great example of why we do it. The why is so important, and I look forward to being able to tell this story with new updates in ten years time! Regards, Chris & the Safari Architects Team. http://www.safariarchitects.com/2018/12/a-lion-dynasty-of-the-sabi-sand/
Sighting of a Lifetime
20/02/2012 – Sighting of a lifetime I often get asked by guests, “what is the best sighting you have ever had?’ This is difficult to answer as there are so many unique interactions that you witness on a safari, but being a big cat fan, one comes to mind! We set out on an early morning safari from &Beyond Leadwood camp in the Sabi Sands aiming to catch up with the resident pride of lions. My guests were also leopard mad, and if the opportunity presented itself, we would also see if we could track one down. Not far from camp, Isaac my tracker, pointed out fresh tracks of a pride of lions. On top of these tracks, were tracks for the resident Mapogo male lion coalition. Now, at this time the coalition had just taken over and as male lions do, they were tracking the Ximungwe pride to assert their dominance and unfortunately try to kill the cubs that were from the previous dominant male lion. A couple of hours later and hot on the trail, one of my colleagues had found the pride with a recent impala kill. None of the male lions were present, but the whole Ximungwe pride was present. With growls and grunts, the lionesses and cubs were feeding on the carcass. We quickly made our way down to the sighting, and what was in store for us, none of us could have imagined!  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author As soon as we arrived, we realised that everything was happening and chaos ensued. There were lions everywhere, growling, grunting and fighting over scraps. Added to the mix, 6 hyenas were sniping in to see what scraps they could get, with lions aggressively defending their carcass. Amazing interactions were going on everywhere, and in the chaos we had left out one crucial player…“Leopard!” Isaac shouted over the cacophony of primal choruses. We looked up, and nestled high in a Marula tree was a female leopard that had been chased up by there by the lions. We presume she had made the original kill, and the lions had come in and stolen it. Looking dishevelled and extremely uncomfortable, she could only sit and watch what was unfolding below her.  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author We were all speechless, and watched in awe what was taking place before our eyes. But, it was not over yet… Amid the chaos, deep roars penetrated the morning bush and everyone froze. Lions, hyenas, leopards and guests. The Mapogo males were coming! The lionesses realised the deep peril that their cubs were in, and tried to steer the youngsters away from the kill. It was not until four of the males came into sight, and were charging straight towards the cubs and the carcass, did the cubs realise what danger they were in. The pride scattered in all directions, with each male chasing whichever member of the pride that was closest. The males were bellowing and roaring their dominance, and the pride scattered, petrified. Even the hyenas who are the opportunist of the predator world decided this was one battle that they were not going to be a part of, skulked off into the bush. The female leopard who was still clinging to branches way up in the Marula tree knew that this was her chance to get away. With a death defying leap that only a cat can survive, she jumped and soared through the air. She landed twenty meters from the closest male lion, and dashed off at top speed to put as much distance between herself and the ensuing battle. For the next twenty minutes, we tried to keep up with what was going on, following roars of males and petrified cubs. Author and photography: Chris Renshaw http://www.safariarchitects.com/2012/02/sighting-of-a-lifetime/
Makhulu rests with a lioness on a rock on a beautiful day...
The boss and the queen!!!! _______________ Photo by Khimbini  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author
Makhulu and Pretty Boy
____________ Date: 25. December 2010 Credits: Photographer:dpinaz2000  *This image is copyright of its original author
The Leader and the Boss of The Six
Makhulu Mapogo ___________ Date: 25. December 2010 Credits: Photographer:dpinaz2000  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author
(KInky Tail & Mr. T)
"Two brother, members of the Sabi Sands "Gansters", prowling along a road through the African Bush. Taken in the Sabi Sands, Kruger National Park, South Africa." Photographer:Aaron Cacali Date: 11. January 2009  *This image is copyright of its original author
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