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Avoca male lions
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 (11-29-2021, 02:56 AM)Timbavati Wrote:(11-29-2021, 02:51 AM)Tonpa Wrote: Has has an elbow hygroma, which is apparently a symptom of Bovine TB in lions, as well as FIV. It's also caused just by resting on a hard surface, domestic dogs can get it from sleeping on wooden flooring. Im not a lion health expert so I barely know anything about TB. Can wild lions completely recover if they get infected? If not then things could end badly for Mohawk 
I’m surprised Mohawk would be considered in advance stage of TB considering he always looks extremely healthy. Well fed, no wounds, no sluggishness etc. Out of the three N. Avocas he looks the most consistently healthy and fierce to me. Not that the others look as if they’re waning. But Blondie’s condition seems to fluctuate. DM usually looks good, but of course that old injury, at times, gives him more trouble than usual and he can get pretty skinny when away from the Talamatis and needing a meal. But again, Mohawk always looks to be in excellent condition.
If he’s indeed infected with TB, hopefully it progresses slowly and he remains in good condition for a long time. 
as far as I know they cannot fully recover, the general time between infection and death is 2-5 years according to studies and these symptoms presented by @Timbavati are already part of an advanced stage, looking at the latest study done on kruger the southern part has a large percentage of infected lions I wonder if this is one of the reasons for some disappearances.
Depending on the climate the bacteria can survive for days to weeks in the environment. The first reported cases of TB in wildlife in South Africa were in 1928 when the disease was recorded in kudu and common duiker. An isolated case of TB in an impala in the Crocodile Bridge region of the Kruger National Park (KNP) was recorded in 1967.
TB was most likely introduced into the KNP on the southern boundary following intermingling of buffaloes and infected cattle in the 1960s or 1980s but remained undetected until 1990 when it was diagnosed in a 2 year old buffalo bull. Currently >90% of the buffalo herds in the south of Kruger have TB. Buffalo infect each other by the inhalation of infected droplets produced by coughing or sneezing shedders. When infection progresses to disease, buffaloes gradually become emaciated and anorexic. In advanced cases coughing and breathing with difficulty is seen. In Africa, buffalo are maintenance hosts (carry the disease) and it is suggested that lions and kudu may be additional maintenance hosts. TB has been recorded in 13 species (by 2006) in the KNP. Infection is due to incidental spillover from infected buffalo to susceptible species. Species in which TB has been recorded in the KNP are buffalo, lion, kudu, eland, warthog, bushpig, large spotted genet, leopard, spotted hyena, cheetah, baboon, impala and honey badger. Buffalo carcasses are the most likely sources of infection in carnivores, particularly lions, which are infected via the gut when feeding on infected carcasses. In the KNP buffaloes constitute about 4% of lion’s total food although this figure may be higher in the Timbavati. Once infected a lion can shed the virus in aerosols and infect other members in the pride due to their highly social nature. Infected lions may show signs of progressive weight loss, poor healing skin wounds, joint swellings, muscle loss and eye lesions. TB in lions contributes to lower lion survival and breeding success. Increased cub death due to faster territorial male turnover is occurring. Abnormal sex ratios have been observed and some male and female prides have been evicted from their territories. In the KNP and surrounding areas a progressive northward spread of TB is occurring. In areas with high buffalo herd TB prevalence, up to 90% of the lions in the corresponding areas are infected. Vaccination is the control measure of choice but an effective wildlife vaccine does not currently exist. In the KNP and surrounding private reserves it is hoped that buffalo and lions will adapt to TB through natural selection of more resistant individuals although this may take generations.  (11-29-2021, 07:55 AM)Timbavati Wrote: Depending on the climate the bacteria can survive for days to weeks in the environment. The first reported cases of TB in wildlife in South Africa were in 1928 when the disease was recorded in kudu and common duiker. An isolated case of TB in an impala in the Crocodile Bridge region of the Kruger National Park (KNP) was recorded in 1967. Very informative post. It does seem to keep in some lions longer than others. I remember Buddy seemingly wasting away in a very short amount of time. Of course he just disappeared after Junior was killed by a snake. But, he seemed healthy one day, then suddenly he wasn't. 
Dark mane on little gowrie yesterday, the same small property the Mantimahle male was on a few days before
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_f...7466902666 
I recall he was nomadic at that time.
So he probably got in a spiral of being too weak to hunt, too starving to maintain strength and to hungry to not take stupid risks.   (12-02-2021, 07:11 AM)afortich Wrote:He surfaced with some flesh wounds on his back after the N’Waswishaka males entered their territory. The clash was not witnessed but he and two of the N’Was showed wounds in what looked like a 2 v 1 episode. Mohawk did not seem to have been involved as he showed no signs of injuries.(11-24-2021, 02:27 PM)Potato Wrote: Short clip of 1/3 Northern Avocas, Blondie, who looks like is recovering well, feeding on the same elephant than Mohawk at Silvan Safari Lodge, Northern Sabi Sands, November 20.What is blondie recovering from?? did he fight?? (12-02-2021, 08:14 AM)criollo2mil Wrote:(12-02-2021, 07:11 AM)afortich Wrote:He surfaced with some flesh wounds on his back after the N’Waswishaka males entered their territory. The clash was not witnessed but he and two of the N’Was showed wounds in what looked like a 2 v 1 episode. Mohawk did not seem to have been involved as he showed no signs of injuries.(11-24-2021, 02:27 PM)Potato Wrote: Short clip of 1/3 Northern Avocas, Blondie, who looks like is recovering well, feeding on the same elephant than Mohawk at Silvan Safari Lodge, Northern Sabi Sands, November 20.What is blondie recovering from?? did he fight?? Thank u for the info. I saw a few videos of him moving away from those lions. My friend Mohawk should look after blondie a little more in order to keep the reign. 
Dark Mane. Photo taken on 28th Nov.
Photo credit: Amir Khatri  *This image is copyright of its original author
https://youtu.be/8k6MqvgUwOk
Mohawk and Blondie with the Nkuhumas in Djuma today on WE. Blondie looks worse for the wear and could use a meal, but I think he’ll be okay if he can continue to keep up with the pride. Mohawk is his usual fierce self. Looking very good. The territory between the Avocas seem to be slightly shifting again. As I understand DM is spending more and more time up north in the Manyeleti. The Talamatis have been kind of scarce too. Don’t know where they’ve been spending much of their time lately. And now the Nkuhumas and Mohawk/Blondie seem to be returning to Djuma more often than they have in the past year. It’ll be interesting to see if they become a fixture again in Djuma and thus WE, and if DM becomes the illusive N. Avoca again. |
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