Lion tales

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http://www.homeinspirations.co.za/index.php/282-gods-creation-in-the-wild/40593-a-day-in-the-life-of-a-game-ranger-by-chad-cocking-7
http://www.homeinspirations.co.za/index.php/282-gods-creation-in-the-wild/40599-a-day-in-the-life-of-a-game-ranger-by-chad-cocking-9
http://www.homeinspirations.co.za/index.php/282-gods-creation-in-the-wild/40602-a-day-in-the-life-of-a-game-ranger-by-chad-cocking-10
https://www.umlani.com/blog/post/umlani-captured-in-photos-july-2018/

Mid 2018

Mbiri males take over of Myambula pride and fighting off unknown competition for it part 1

June 29

Elsewhere, the Mbiri males were quite absent for most of the week as they continue to explore areas beyond the lionesses territory. After killing a hyena in the west, they ventured to the far east where we found them on an active patrol early one misty morning; the next day their tracks made it to our south-eastern border in the heart of the Mayambula pride territory which is not good news for their new cubs.

July 13

Sticking with lions, the Mbiri males were almost a non-entity during the last reporting period and only showed themselves once when they returned to the den site all battered and bruised. We can only presume these two males have been out searching for more mating opportunities and were obviously met with some resistance. The younger male appears lucky to have not lost an eye as his face was severely mauled, and the older male had damage to his lower lip. The fact that after only one visit back to the den site they then disappeared to an area of the Timbavati more than twelve kilometers away suggests to me that whoever they fought, they may have been victorious and appear to have some female interests elsewhere.

The last few days have seen tracks of two male lions in our south-eastern corner, but they keep heading back east towards the Kruger National Park, and as a result, we are still awaiting the return of the Mbiri males.

July 18

 Although the Mbiri males have spent most of the last year courting and mating with the two Zebenine females, from a purely human-centred point of view, now that the cubs have been born, they seem to be neglecting their fatherly duties!

With both Zebenine females off the market from a breeding perspective, it appears as though the Mbiri males have been off looking for more mating opportunities elsewhere. These males have been almost completely absent from the area for the past three weeks, and it appears as though their search for more females to court has brought them into conflict with other male lions. Upon the first of only two visits in recent weeks, it was discovered that both males had been in the wars, with there being fears that the younger male had lost his left eye. Fortunately, subsequent sightings of the boys (more than 12km south of the den site!) showed that his eye was still intact. The bigger male was also battered and bruised, but this fight didn’t do anything to keep them in the core of their territory, and after that brief visit they disappeared again.

The nights that a month ago were filled with the roars of lions are now largely silent... until two nights ago that is, when the whole camp was awoken at 03h06 with the mighty roar of one of the Mbiri males in the riverbed to the north of camp. Sadly though, silence returned the following evening as the male moved out of the area without being seen. Exactly where they have been disappearing to is uncertain, but it appears as though the Mayambula pride to the south-east of Safari Camp might be the target of these males as their tracks have been found in this pride's territory. Unfortunately their presence in this area does not bode well for the two four-month cubs recently born to this pride. However, from the Mbiri males’ perspective, the Mayambula pride with five adult females in their midst, would be a perfect pride to take over. Needless to say, since the Mbiri males have been spending time in the south-east of our concession, signs of the Mayambula Pride have been far less in evidence.

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

July by Umlani

Although the Mbiris males have been stamping their authority on the local hyena population, they have been more absent than present this last month, on one of the occasions that they did show themselves they looked like they had been in a pretty serious fight leaving the smaller of the two males with horrendous wounds on his face and even looked like he had lost an eye, they then headed back south from where they had come from and again were absent for a few weeks, however two nights ago they returned, in full voice announcing their presence as kings of the central Timbavati, their wounds healing up and now only adding character to their already imposing look. The smaller male still has both his eyes and these powerhouses seem to still firmly be in control of the area.

*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

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