Lion tales

[Potato]

http://tintswaloguides.blogspot.com/2013/02/

Year 2013

Matimba males conquest of northen Manyeleti Part 7

February:

Koppies females:

It’s been a bit difficult finding these girls lately as it seem they have moved in a westerly direction into gabbro plains. Unfortunately this is clay soil and with all the water around, it’s as good as trying to drive on an oil slick.
 

We did have one sighting in the last four days but all does not seem well unfortunatley. When we eventually managed to find the youngest female, she was in pretty bad shape. We have been waiting patiently for her to show us her cubs, but when she was found she was no longer lactating and her condition looked a bit worse for wear. She seemed skinny and had obviously gone through a tough time.
 

A few things go through my mind as to what possibly happened. It may have simply been another predator that found her cubs and killed them. Another reason might be that she has been on her own now for a good two months, as lionesses distance themselves from the rest of the pride to have their cubs. This time away allows for the lioness to imprint her scent and sound on the cubs. However, this is also the most difficult time as they have to kill for themselves, by themselves. For a social hunter this is not easy! The second theory is therefore that she wasn’t able to kill often enough to sustain her lactation and in the process weakening herself. It’s not uncommon for young mothers to abandon their cubs.

Either way, we are not sure what happened, but it does seem that she has lost her cubs.

Matimba males:

We've had three sightings of these males in the last four days and as always are providing us with fantastic viewings. One concerning sighting was of one Matimba male close to Vulture pan. This is usually an area that the Sizanani males move to when the Matimba males venture into their territory. Hopefully these incursions deeper and deeper into Sizanani territory don't become habitual.

It seems that a pattern of their movements have emerged. The three blonde males have the southern Manyeleti firmly in their grasp and have completely tamed the Nkuhuma females. The two darker males dominate the central Manyeleti and also interacts with the these females but also the Koppies girls. Induna, the oldest male, moves further east into the Kruger area but at this stage he is only awarding us with infrequent sightings.

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

Note: This is when sightings of Sizanani coaliton ends. Matimba males manage to kill injured Siazanani male and in following starts to mate with Koppies females.

Here: https://tintswalo.com/safari/the-lions-of-tintswalo/a-tribute-to-sizanani-tintswalos-legendary-lion-king/

You can read that: "At the end of 2012, another blow struck Sizanani when his brother (one with the bad hip) was killed by the Matimba males close to Tintswalo."

and here: https://tintswalo.com/safari/uncategorized/thanda-impi-male-lions-unlikely-warriors/

"They managed to hang on to the territory with the Koppies pride, until May 2013, when 4 of the Matimba males moved into the area, disposing of the male with the bad leg"

but infact it was between December 2012 and February 2013 when Sizanani male meet his end at the paws of  Matimba males. Reply