Lion tales

[FACR2212]

In my research eagerness I made a summary of Sand River pride. I really don't know where to share this info, but since Nkuhlu is the coalition currently in charge at the Sand River pride territory, I'm going to post it here. I hope you like it, and please comment if you find an error, a bunch of the info a collage of many isolated texts found on the forum to which I give sense with the help of an AI.

Sand River pride and its dominant male coalitions

The first rulers
The Sand River males, a coalition of 3 males, were the pride males of the Sand River Pride for many years. They took their name from the pride they dominated, not to be confused with the Sand River males sired by the Old Skukuza males.

Toulon Males (2011–2016)
Around 2011, the Toulon males, another coalition of 3 males, took over the Sand River Pride and its territory. The Toulon males, known for their impressive size, ruled Maroela Loop and the Sand River Pride's territory. The Toulon males fathered the Renosterkoppies males and the coalition of 5 Eastern Bank males. Diamond Face was a formidable male and a successful leader, ruling Maroela Loop with his two brothers, known as Dominant Toulon and Shy Toulon. Diamond face suffered from a dislocated hip and was unable to keep up with his two brothers, often staying with the Sand River Pride, he was in poor condition before disappearing in 2015. The remaining two Toulon males, despite being 12 years old, continued to dominate the area in early 2016.
The Toulon males had ruled Maroela Loop since 2010/11, but in 2016 the remaining two Toulon males had started spending more time with the Sand River Pride in Sabi Sands, possibly due to pressure from younger males in Maroela Loop. Shy Toulon, the last remaining Toulon male, was spotted with the Sand River Pride at Kirkman’s Kamp in June 2016. At this point, he had become the only pride male of the Sand River Pride, which now consisted of three adult females and five subadults.

Diamond Face Toulon, Photo Credits: Licinia Machado Photography (thanks Ngala for sharing it).

*This image is copyright of its original author

Mantimahle Coalition (2016–2019)
In 2016, the Mantimahle coalition of five males began their invasion of Sabi Sands, particularly focusing on the southern sections around Kirkman’s Kamp and Lion Sands. Confirmed fatalities included a Toulon male in early 2016 and a Sparta male (son of the Majingilanes) in December of the same year. Around December 2016, Shy Toulon had left the pride. Around this time, 2 Mhangeni males and 1 Talamati male were seen near the Sand River Pride, adding another layer of intrigue to the pride's dynamics. 
By March 2017, The Mantimahle males were spotted with the Sand River Pride on Lion Sands. After taking over the Plains Camp pride and ousting the last Toulon male, the Mantimahle coalition secured dominance over the Sand River Pride, marking the end of their expansion into Sabi Sands. A young Sand River pride male moved into Kruger, as he would not have been tolerated by the new dominant males, and was spotted in the southern region as a nomadic male. 
Following the takeover by the Mantimahle males, the Sand River Pride's females mated with them, including the two Toulon males’ daughters, who had their first litters. One of the older females passed away in early 2017, leaving a pride of two old females, two young females (Toulon daughters) and 10 cubs. One Mantimahle male has split from the others, but the coalition of 4 Mantimahle males, along with the females and cubs, remained strong through 2018.
By the end of 2018, the Southern Avoca males, territorial in Southern Sabi Sands, were seen near the Sand River Pride's area, but it appears there was little left for them to claim besides 2 Sparta lionesses. While the large Sand River pride was nearby, they remained under the control of the Mantimahle males in Kruger National Park.
Sadly, 2 of the Sand River pride’s females, aged around 15 years, passed away due to old age. With the deaths of these females, the Mantimahle males seemed to have distanced themselves from the pride, likely due to the loss of their original partners. Rather than extending their reach further into Sabi Sands, the Mantimahle males turned their attention back to Kruger. They expanded their territory along the H4-1, taking control of the Nkuhlu pride, one of the largest in the park. Their dominance stretched from Skukuza, through Rhino Post Safari Lodge, to Lower Sabie and the S21. In this area, they began taking over another pride after abandoning their hold over the Sand River Pride.
This territorial expansion led to a significant number of offspring, with subadult males sired by the Mantimahle coalition being confirmed in the Sand River, Plains Camp, and Nkuhlu prides. However, with the arrival of the Southern Avoca males, there was uncertainty regarding the future of these offspring, as the Sand River cubs appeared to have dispersed after the Southern Avoca males took control of the pride. By December 2019, there was a sighting of 8 subadult lions around 2-3 years old, including 5 females and 3 young males. Out of the 8 subadults ousted by the Southern Avocas at around 2 years old, only 2 Sand River young males survived, along with two sisters who returned to the pride and were accepted.

2 Sand River young males, they disappeared into Kruger around mid-2021 and haven't been after

*This image is copyright of its original author

Southern Avocas (2019–2023)
At this point, the Southern Avoca males became the new dominant males of the Sand River Pride.
In 2020, the pride welcomed a new generation with the birth of six new cubs sired by the Southern Avoca males. As the pride relocated its den site back onto the Lion Sands concession, it was hoped that this new beginning under the Avoca males would bring a brighter future for the Sand River Pride.

One of the two S. Avoca males showing affection to one of their cubs of the Sand River pride, which could be one of the current pride females. Image by: Eckoson Sithole (thanks T I N O for sharing it).

*This image is copyright of its original author

Southern Avoca resting with females and the 2020 generation of cubs. Image by MalaMala (Thanks Tonpa for sharing it)

*This image is copyright of its original author

By March 2021, the Sand River Pride consisted of four adult females:
·        Two older lionesses, born in 2012 and sired by the Toulon males.
·        Two younger lionesses, born in 2017 (sired by Mantimahle males and the females born in 2012).

Southern Avoca resting with Sand River females. Photo by Ashes29 (Thanks Tonpa for sharing it)

*This image is copyright of its original author

In 2021, the younger females had their first litters also, adding six more cubs to the count. The younger Sand River female revealing her new cubs. Aug 13 2021. Photo credit: Chris Sibuyi.

*This image is copyright of its original author

In August 2022, after the arrival of Gijima males to southern Sabi Sands, both Gijima males were seen mating with one of the older Sand River females. This was an interesting development, as the rest of the adult females in the Sand River Pride had cubs or subadults sired by the Southern Avoca males. She gave birth a litter of two cubs by the end 2022/early 2023.

Nkuhulu takeover (2023–present)

The two Toulon daughters managed to raise four of six cubs to subadult stage (2 females and 2 males), while the younger females brought up 6 healthy subadults. Southern avoca males remained undefeated until 2023 arrived. However, a new big threat appeared on the form of a coalition of seven male lions (six Nkuhulu males and Dreadlocks Delaporte male). When Nkuhulu coalition first invaded their territory on April 2023, the Southern Avoca chased them, but a few weeks after they came back and killed a lioness of the Sand River pride. After that tragic event, the Southern Avoca managed to caught Dreadlocks alone and seriously injured him. After this beating, Dreadlocks and his Nkuhulu partners went back to Kruger Park. In an incursion to northeast, one of the Avocas dissapeared, leaving the Southern Avoca Male without a coalition partner and forcing him to leave Sand River pride and wander once more.

With the arrival of the Nkuhlu males, the Sand River pride experienced much disruption. In their takeover, the Nkuhlu males killed two adult females and several cubs/subadults. It was said that 4 subadults broke away from the adult females, three males and one female. There were a few sightings of the three brothers on march-april 2024, but in a recent sighting there were only two males left, one bigger and one smaller, so probably the bigger is from the 2020 generation (Toulon grandson) and the smaller from the 2021 generation (Mantimahle grandson).

4/5 Nkuhlus, with their leader Snip Tail

Five female members of the pride stayed in their original territory as Nkuhulu males settled in as the dominant males:
·        Two adult lionesses, born in 2017 (Mantimahle daughters).
·        Two younger lionesses, born in 2020 (offspring of S. Avocas & Toulon daughters).
·        One subadult female born in 2021, accepted by Nkuhulus (offspring of S. Avocas & Mantimahle daughters).  

The first litter sired by Nkuhulu males could not make it, but we are finally starting to see this pride grow in numbers as four new cubs from two lionesses were born in late/early 2025. With a new generation of cubs, a core of healthy females and a male coalition of five brothers, the future of the pride remains uncertain but full of potential. Reply