Lions of Sabi Sands

[RookiePundit]

(11-22-2024, 10:52 PM)Mapokser Wrote: K4 is one of the most magnificent lions in Sabi Sands and surely the most impressive looking out of all 6 brothers. His mane probably isn't even at its peak development, imagine him with 8yo.

A shame what happened, it reminds me a bit of Othawa Male's death, you could tell he was so impressive that any lioness would love to pass his genes through her bloodline, yet he died without doing it.

The same is very likely happening to K4.

We don't know that for sure. With all the mating Nkuhumas have done recently, it is likely that some of the potential cubs would be his. And it is not out of question they might get accepted by other males that a) mated with Nkuhumas b) BDM or any other male who would be just happy to stick around the pride. Very long shot a cub of his would make it, but still a chance even if this turn to be end for K4. Also we will probably never know that it happened as any cub born to Nkuhumas pride in upcoming month will have uknown father as many potential sires would be plausible - we can only include some as potentially more likely for particular litters based on actually observed mating but it is entirely plausible the respective lioness mated around with other males as well. Visual likeliness won't help much in that regard except maybe if there would be mini spitting image of K5 among them. And guesstimate by the looks, the cubs would have to grow enough to spot those resblances which is not given and sort of a longshot, unless a coalition firmly establish themselves as Nkuhuma pride males (some males mighht accept cubs, but excepting all males wondering around Nkuhumas would is very unlikely, plus they might always be newcomers who never mated with Nkuhumas so far).

Putting emotions aside, K4 comes from a well represented bloodlines, so him not passing on his genes further would not exactly be a set back for the genetic diversity of the Sabi Sands and other nearby populations. Reply