The Mighty Mapogos

[Tshokwane]

Now, let's take a look at another post, this time from the Londolozi blog dated from August 30, 2012
Is the Kruger Male Lion Dead?

Two days ago (28 August) we found what we believe to be the remains of a male lion. Very little of the body remains: only a few fragments of bone, hair and the tell tale dark mane pieces, strewn about over a small area. The grass was flattened in the area suggesting that the animal had been fed on and the carcass finished off, more than likely by hyenas. A closer inspection of the area suggested that the death must have been a couple of weeks ago. There was indeed very little left and so although we can not be 100 % sure,it really does look that way!

Identifying the individual is impossible from the scare remains, but a little bit of ‘detective’ work gives us a good idea as to who it may be. The mighty two Mapogo Males were both seen alive and well a few days ago south of our boundary. This rules out it being one of them. A sighting of the Southern Pride together with the two Kruger Males over a month ago though does shed some light. Rangers reported that one of the males looked in a bad way. We had received reports of a big clash between the Kruger and Mapogo Males just a few days prior to this. On about the 20th July this male was seen again alone; this time in exceptionally poor condition. Where he lay motionless, was about 200 meters from where we found the lion remains! Since then, that Kruger Male, known by many as Limper, has not been seen by any of the lodges in the Sabi Sands. Tracker, Solly Mhlongo, aged the lion remains at 3-4 weeks old…winding back the clock and it all fits perfectly.


So we speculate that the remains we found belong to the missing and now assumed deceased Kruger Male. If it is him, he leaves behind him a single Kruger Male to rule over the large Southern Pride. The cause of his death is, and will probably remain, unknown. Again we can speculate that a run in with the Mapogo or Majingilane Coalitions may have been his downfall.

I welcome you to all comment on whether you think this may be the individual in question and the impacts this may have on not only the Southern Pride, but the entire Lion dynamics of the Sabi Sands.

So, as per this post, it's where people like the one who wrote that post in the facebook group, use to argue that the aging Mapogos killed the Limper Kruger male.

Now, what it's interesting is taking a look at the comments below the post:
It could be the Mapogos as Makulu also has some bite marks on his back and flank. However, Pretty Boy Mapogo seems to have not a single (new) scratch. Strange is that the Mapogos were not seen around these dates when Kruger males were said to be in the south of Londolozi (as per Londolozi sightings). On the other side, on 17th July it mentions “2 Majingilane male lions off Dave’s/Tu-tones Extension / Kruger male lion at Vertical Dam”

Another:
The facts in my opinion are that was a meeting between 2 Mapgos and 2 KNP males. We had witnesses . It was a short fight and there were seen 2 Knp chasing 1 Mapogo , so the Mapogos split at one point . At that moment the 2 Knp seems not carring injuries . Since that moment we know the 2 Mapogos search for each other . Makulu has wounds most likely from his meeting with knp males .

If there was a meeting lately between Makulu and Limper , we only can speculate.
In my vision the Limper died after he encounter male/s lions . Could be Majingilanes or Makulu . We simply don’t have evidences .
But is very very unlikely to be other males involved except Majingilanes or Makulu .
From here everyone could have his own theory .
On the other hand , we don’t know for sure if Limper don’t have a little injury which could affect and infect lately . The description about Limper is “this time in exceptionally poor condition.” . I meant there were signs of battles with other lions to explain his condition , or an infection could lead to such status ?

Another:
Yes, very sad news…but I have strong doubts it was Mak or PB that caused it.

Please read the pieces put together in order.
It was not Mak & PB according to the blog put out by James Tyrrell of Londolozi on July 24. You can see by the photos that Limper looked fine. (photos taken on July 14)
http://blog.londolozi.com/2012/07/a-sighting-of-the-south-pride/
The ‘fight’ with those 4 happened on July 10…then came the July 14 sighting of both KNP males looking fine July 14 but something had happened…(from the blog) ‘Blood on the nose of one of the males and a cut on a lionesses’ flank were the only clues ‘
On July 25
from Londolozi regarding sightings of Limper/KNP
I had asked James T on his blog…here is his reply.( so both were alive after July 14)
James reply:
James T July 25, 2012 at 13:34
‘The sighting took place on July 14th, but the Pride’s tracks and those of the Kruger males have been seen a number of times since then on or near our Southern Boundary.
I might go down there tomorrow morning to take a look….’

And another:
Well, I feel confident to state that the Mapogos have nothing to do with the demise of the limping KNP male. We have asked this question several times and it has been confirmed time and again: both KNP males were fit & healthy on the 14th of July, four days after they had chased around the 2 Mapogos and injured one of them, Makulu. As Syl is outlining, even after the 14th of July tracks of both KNP males have been seen in southern Londolozi.

Could an injured Makulu beat up the big KNP male with the limp? Very unlikely to say at least. Could Pretty Boy haven beaten him up? Well, Pretty Boy was searching for his comrade and he even avoided a confrontation with one of the Selati Males at one point. It could be, but is rather unlikely from my point of view. In general: to see a mature male lion being fatally injured in a one-on-one confrontation with another mature male lion is extremely rare.
If it were other lions who caused the death of the limping KNP male, it were probably the Majingilanes and surely more than one. 

Of course, we can't get dogmatic as to what exactly happened that time, because no one actually saw it. But from putting all the pieces together, it seems more likely that a big, prime male like the Limper Kruger male wasn't killed by the old Makhulu, rather some other rival coalition, like the Majingilane males(who were the other dominant males in the area).  

But what for me is sure is that the Old Mapogos weren't trying to "take over a new pride" in a "last hurra", as if they were men aware of this kind of things.

This is what bothers me about fanatism. The people in that group are fanatics of the Mapogo males, included that Jairo Reyes you've qouted in other posts, and they will go to any lenghts possible to put the Mapogos up as if they were some kind of lion gods, so I would be quite weary of the things they post. Reply