Lions of Sabi Sands

[vinodkumarn]

(02-08-2018, 03:48 AM)Michael Wrote:

(02-08-2018, 02:47 AM)sik94 Wrote:

(02-07-2018, 08:56 AM)Michael Wrote:

(02-07-2018, 02:14 AM)vinodkumarn Wrote: MALAMALA TODAY: February 5th&6th. 13 lions: The Kambula pride continue to do things that leave us scratching our heads... Yesterday all 6 lionesses and a single Gowrie male were found with their 2nd buffalo kill in as many days. 4 cubs from 2 different litters were also present and playfully interacted before something shocking occurred... Without warning, the mother of the slightly younger cubs killed both of the older cubs. A number of theories have been generated as to why but we’ll never really know. 4 of the lionesses were in the Sand River at West Street Bridge today while the lioness with 2 cubs and the Gowrie male were at Maxim’s Lookout. We viewed the 2 Avoca males on both days. They killed a giraffe in southwestern Charleston. 


Photo of one of the younger cubs of the Kambula pride by ranger Liam Henderson 

*This image is copyright of its original author

Very interesting behavior specially coming from a female, how likelly is it that see realised the cubs of the other lioness were from a different male than hers and she decided to kill them ?

Or maybe it simple was because it was the first time that particular lioness interacted with those cubs, interesting nonetheless

The cubs being from a different male isn't a problem, maybe the pride is splitting up since so many coalitions currently frequent their territory and she saw the older cubs as being from a rival pride. It could also be what you said at the end.

Wouldn't the lionesses show signs of agression towards each other first and not the cubs if the pride was in process of spliting ?

From the Malamala post it seems they were calmly feeding and interacting with each other and suddenly the lioness just decided to attack the cubs which is weird.

If the cubs were found stashed somewhere and she killed them it would be normal beahvior since the progenitor wouldn't be around.

This is very similar behavior to what males lions have after a take over of a pride with subadult cubs since they aren't small they don't kill them straight away but they periodically try to catch and kill them, the Majingilane did this with sub adult males they would seemingly tolerate them and all of a sudden they would try to attack them.

I don't think Kambula pride is splitting. Apart from few days they were always together..
For certain things in wild, we can't find answers in text books. This is one among them! Reply