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Lion Directory

United States Pckts Offline
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alright, here was his response on the largest he has seen


I asked
"thanks for the information. I have another question, I hear that okovongo lions may be some of the larger lions in africa and I was wondering how they compare for you? Im going to africa in sept., through serengeti and finishing in ngorongoro which hear are some of the largest lions in africa. So I guess my question is, how do delta lions compare from what you've seen? Thanks again for your time."


Looking for lions said:
"Some of the largest lions I've seen, and also talking to people around Botswana - the lions in the Kalahari are some of the biggest. I can't speak personally of East Africa because i havent been there. One of the males I collared south in the Delta was quite large, but the females higher up in the Delta, in the really swampy areas, are defintely of smaller stature, but they have impressive muscular builds which we assume is from wading in the water and the sand. I have heard other guides/travellers comment on this as well. Sounds like an awesome trip you are taking! Hope you enjoy!"
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United States Pckts Offline
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A little info on Kalahari Lions
The Lion Kings of the Kalahari
Posted on 21 June, 2013 by Chloe Cooper  in Wildlife
- See more at: http://africageographic.com/blog/the-lio...osgaE.dpuf


To the black-maned lions that patrol it, there is no truer allocation of a kingdom than that of the Kalahari Desert. The territory these lions possess covers far greater distances than those belonging to lions anywhere else in Africa, which is largely due to the low prey densities found in this harsh, arid environment.

*This image is copyright of its original author

Kalahari kings of the future
There have been suggestions that the desert-adapted lion of the Kalahari belongs to a separate subspecies. However, this is not the case. This is Africa’s Panthera leo, with an armour developed specifically to defend it against the desert elements, such as larger paws and leaner limbs to take great strides across the never-ending expanses of sand and covering distances almost impossible to believe.

*This image is copyright of its original author

Dark manes are characteristic of Kalahari males. (Read more about the
dark manes at www.haina.co.za[i])[/i]
It is quite something to behold, the silhouette of such a magnificent creature roaming across the crests of dunes. The Kalahari offers no shrubbery or shade bar a trickled dispersal of camel thorn trees under which to flop, so the prides that reside here have far more hardships to overcome than those living in an almost ‘luxurious’ South African retreat.

*This image is copyright of its original author

New life is fiercely protected by a Kalahari queen.
The emerging dawn warms the aching cold of the night, but soon the scorching sun dehydrates the land and the afternoon brings a dead heat without respite. It is no wonder that the conditions in the Kalahari attract such exceptional species. The oryx is the iconic symbol of this magnificent thirstland, while the rare brown hyaena and the unmistakeable bat-eared fox are small carnivore species. With surface temperatures reaching up to 70 degrees Celsius, much of the wildlife activity occurs beneath ground. There, Cape cobras lie in wait for burrowing mice and scorpions are poised, weapons raised, to strike an unsuspecting desert spider that reacts by tucking, dropping and rolling out of reach in a sequence of its own well-practised desert defence.
A fascinating abundance of species exists here, and the lion is no less a fighter than the other desert-dwellers. Dr Fritz Eloff, a retired Professor of Zoology at the University of Pretoria in South Africa, spent 26 years in the Kalahari with his team of researchers studying the behaviour of lions. An enchanting account of his life there is recounted in his book Hunters of the Dunes, in which I read about the renowned individual lions and unusual alliances that lived in the Kalahari between 1970 and 1995 (http://blog.sunsafaris.com/2013/01/30/dune-kings-an-introduction-to-the-lions-of-the-kalahari/ ) Depicted against the backdrop of an endless desert and with the untamed instinct to survive these unforgiving conditions, these particular lions were identified by a certain fire they possessed and are described by what made each of them such memorable and significant leaders of the Kalahari kingdom.

*This image is copyright of its original author

An intense glare bears a warning.
One such individual, Kromvoet (‘crooked foot’), was spotted by Ooi, Eloff’s expert Bushman tracker. Kromvoet was a curious case. His tracks dragged an uneven footstep – his lonely life drawn in the sand. The lion was merciless, though. He charged in fury at the intrusive presence of the teams’s Land Rover, ferociously defended a large area surrounding the waterhole in Gharagab and confronted both competitors and investigators with malice. All outsiders but one were listed in this lion’s bad books. After a few days, Kromvoet’s lone, roaming tracks were joined by those of a mate. A female’s prints intertwined with his and the shape of a lover’s nest was evident in the sand one night, forcing the team to acknowledge that their vicious outcast had adopted a softer side. The two seemed well-suited, as evidence of their nightly strolls told. A poor brown hyaena was banished to its burrow in fear as Kromvoet and his queen lay between the hyaena and its kill, possessing no interest in eating their hostage’s meal. This dominant dune king was clearly desert royalty.

*This image is copyright of its original author

Lion cubs have to fight hard for survival in this harsh environment
The first alliance of lions to catch Eloff’s attention was an unusual group of females who confidently walked the dunes unguarded by a male companion. The year was 1970 and the Kalahari was home to this unique pride of six, called the Sisters Gang. The lionesses made a habit of disturbing the team of researchers, ridding them of many hours of sleep with their night-time stalking and investigating. On more than one occasion, Eloff awoke as if warned by the wind to find the Sisters Gang close enough to his sleeping comrades to be lit by the glow of their firelight. An act of threat or curiosity? Another night, a lioness took it a step further and was caught mid-stalk in the beam of an flashlight.
‘Don Juan of the Kalahari’ was a maverick. Like his namesake, the Spanish philanderer, Don Juan lived the life of a Casanova well into his later years. Violence riddled his existence, as it did that of this desert lion. Haaslip, (‘harelip’), was said to have lived a rough life of vicious confrontation, matched only by his success as a mate. Eloff documented this lion’s movements over a long period, the way it rebelled against the natural order of things, dabbling with but never committing to any pride he came across. Haaslip had a commendable love life and fathered many young cubs over a number of years, far more than is normal in the life of a lion.

*This image is copyright of its original author

A majestic Kalahari king
There were many desperately close encounters during Eloff’s 26 years in the Kalahari. But Hunters of the Dunesspeaks of memories never to be forgotten, of individuals studied with patience and bravery, without the technological advantages that ease modern journeys. His was a miraculous and enviable encounter that, considering the severely threatened existence of lions today, will possibly never be matched. At the age of 93, this man carries with him a 40-year-long relationship with the kings of the Kalahari, whose legacy now lies in the hands of determined conservation activists.




The black-maned Kalahari lions
by Tswalu Kalahari on Sat, August 10, 2013 in News, Wildlife

*This image is copyright of its original author
The Kalahari lions are known for their majestic size and beautiful manes, although they are actually the same species as other lions found across Africa.
The contrast between their tawny coloured bodies and their black manes is striking and gives them a very regal look.

*This image is copyright of its original author

Ranger and wildlife photographer Marco Tonoli has written about why the lions of the Kalahari are one of the largest in Africa.
He believes that when resources are thin, competition is rife. “Areas with higher rainfall generally have greater densities of plains game, so the availability of food for predators is higher and the chances of survival for weaker individuals is greater. However, the semi-desert environment of the southern Kalahari is limited by the low levels of rainfall, leading to lower densities of herbivores per square kilometre. This means that lion prides not only have larger territories, but competition with other prides and individuals is rife. The weak or injured are quickly displaced by fitter more dominant individuals. Only the strongest survive and reproduce. The outcome over time is the continuous elimination of weaker genes and the ongoing survival of the stronger genes, which results in bigger lions.”

*This image is copyright of its original author
Like the rest of the lions in Africa, however, they are in danger of becoming extinct. According to the website www.worldlionday.com, in 1975 there was an estimated 250,000 lions in Africa, yet today the continent wide population stands at a mere 25 – 30,000 individuals. This staggering 80-90% decline combines with the fragmentation and isolation of those remaining sub-populations with little long-term viability.
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Argentina Tshokwane Away
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( This post was last modified: 07-19-2016, 02:47 AM by Tshokwane )

From Tuningi Safari Lodge-Madikwe Game Reserve, 

A STAR HAS FALLEN:
A tribute to the Naledi Male Written by Gavin Tonkinson.

The Last of the Naledi ( Which means STAR in Tswana) Male lion coalition has died.He seems to have died from a possible fight from other male lions, and was discovered yesterday in the north of the reserve by one of the field guides.

The Naledi male was an absolute legend in Madikwe, and I myself knew him and his brother from when they were just more than 2 ½ years old when they were kicked out of their natal territory in the north west of the park, some 10 years ago…

*This image is copyright of its original author


*This image is copyright of its original author

The Naledi males came from a very powerful family, which were the Dithaba and Sepedi Males as their fathers and the Tshaba female being their mother, which in their own rights also were legend lions of Madikwe.


The Naledi males were born on the 15th of October 2004, and lived a full life as far as male lions in the wild are concerned.

The two brothers after leaving their natal pride in 2007 went in pursuit of their own piece of real estate, and did not take them long before settling down in the east of the reserve where they had some success in taking over the Mica pride which resided along the Groot Marico river on the eastern boundary of the park for a couple of years before being pressured by other males from the north.

The Mica pride and the Naledi coalition then started moving westward towards the Vlei pan area where they settled down for most of their life, fathering cubs and being very successful at hunting and by now were in the prime of their lives!

*This image is copyright of its original author


*This image is copyright of its original author

Naledi was a very caring father

*This image is copyright of its original author

They then were pushed further west by their nemesis’s, the Kgala and Etali males and settled down once again with the very Loyal Mica Pride females which did not want anything to do with the Kgala/Etali males.


Then came the introduction of 2 new males from the Kwandwe Reserve in the eastern cape towards the end of 2013, and this is when the Naledi males started having their fairytale lives turn upside down.

On one rainy day I witnessed the Kwandwe and the Naledi males having a serious fight with the power of their roars resonating through the bush as they chased each other at high speed all over the Vlei pan area. I lost sight of the 4 males, and the result the following week we realized that one of the Naledi males was not going to return….. We never found his body.

Injury sustained on the day they fought with the Kwandwe’s

*This image is copyright of its original author

The Naledi did not give up his pride though even after losing his brother, but life was never going to be the same, as he now had nobody to back him up in fights with the new threat….


He managed to hold his territory for some time, before the inevitablehad to happen and become ousted from the area by the Kwandwe males, which were by now looking really strong.

The Kwandwe males

*This image is copyright of its original author

So after been kicked from his territory, he became nomadic as males do when they lose their territory, but it was not long before he found yet another lease on life….. He joins up with the much younger Monomoholo male, which is unheard of in the lion game… So once again his fighting spirit comes back, and has a renewed vigor on life and the two of them settle down in the far south west of the park for a short while, and even giving the Kwandwe males something to think about by chasing them further north, so avenging his brother to a small degree…

The Monomoholo Male, Naledi joins up with on the right

*This image is copyright of its original author

So after all the dust settled the, the two new best friends left the south west and marched up into the north eastern parts of the park where they started to engage with the dominant Lenyalo males that were established there.


The two of them caused much havoc up there with a mix of experienced war commander and brave new warrior forcing the females in the area to become very confused as to the happenings of this phenomenon !!

The two of them managed to settle in that area for some time, but the signs of old age had now started showing on the old guy, and soon started losing condition, but the Monomoholo male did come to his aid a few times making a kill or two for him to gain back some energy.

Naledi’s lust for life eventually ran out, and as most old males die, we presume he had been attacked by other male lions, and so his STAR HAD FALLEN……

R.I.P NALEDI….

YOU WILL BE MISSED !!

I leave you with some memorable images of the LEGEND that was The Naledi Male.

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*This image is copyright of its original author


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*This image is copyright of its original author


*This image is copyright of its original author


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*This image is copyright of its original author


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*This image is copyright of its original author


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R.I.P. NALEDI

15 October 2004 – 17 July 2016
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United Kingdom Spalea Offline
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@Majingilane :

Naledi the male lion, quite a lion ! Quite a lion life... Tragic and epic. He would be certainly 12 years and half old, perhaps 13. As concerns a male lion in wild, it's a lot ! Thank perhaps to his much junger fellow warrior during his last years. But this luck, he knew to provoke it, to make it own.

Saying that, a lion life cannot be always from the same mold.
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United States jacksonsmash Offline
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can anybody give me info on the SAND RIVER MALES  how many/which prides
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United States jacksonsmash Offline
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can somebody match these prides with their males from sabi sands. i know of
charleston pride
southern/selati pride
othawa pride 
tsalala pride
sparta pride
styx pride
fourways pride
tsalala pride                        which males control these prides. this will help me out a lot.keep up the awesome work everybody Lol Like
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United States jacksonsmash Offline
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( This post was last modified: 08-27-2016, 11:14 AM by jacksonsmash )

i forgot about the ximhungwes pride
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Argentina Tshokwane Away
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( This post was last modified: 08-29-2016, 03:46 AM by Tshokwane )

(08-27-2016, 11:09 AM)jacksonsmash Wrote: can somebody match these prides with their males from sabi sands. i know of which males control these prides. this will help me out a lot.keep up the awesome work everybody
charleston pride

As far as I know, there's a single female with some subadults, so she's alone with them.

Quote:southern/selati pride

Charleston males.

Quote:othawa pride 

Majingilane males.

Quote:tsalala pride

Two females with the Matimba males. The other one is with the subadults.

Quote:sparta pride

fourways pride

Matshapiri males.

Quote:styx pride

Nkuhuma pride

Birmingham males.

Quote:Ximhungwe pride

There are two very young females, but I don't know if they're alone or with their brother.
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United States jacksonsmash Offline
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WOW! @ majingilane  you are the man!!! thank you so much
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United States jacksonsmash Offline
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I was thinking that those who have the information could post male  offspring of the different coalitions /the different prides each coalition controlled and when/maybe even the coalitions that were overthrown.
Example:Majingilane males-controlled pride xyz from2010-2012 overthrew mapogo males
                                            controlled pride abc from 2012-2015 overthrew matimba males   and so on
                                                         fathered the sparta males from pride abc in 2013                                   

I think this would be a huge help to have a thread to look at directly rather than going through everything thread by thread
just an idea  if this is redundant  i understand
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United States jacksonsmash Offline
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Lets start with the legends themselves-the Mapogos.Which prides did they control first?Around what year did they take over?Are there any offspring alive?Who overthrew them?
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United States jacksonsmash Offline
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are their any males with the mhangeni pride?the matimbas maybe?
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Argentina Tshokwane Away
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(10-29-2016, 02:11 PM)jacksonsmash Wrote: are their any males with the mhangeni pride?the matimbas maybe?

With the adult females, the Majingilane males.

With the young females, the daughters of the Majingilane, the Matimba males.
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Argentina Tshokwane Away
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Hang on a bit on this request Jackson, as soon as I have some time I'll answer some of your questions.

I still think it will benefit you to read the threads entirely, so you won't miss anything.
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United States jacksonsmash Offline
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Take your time majing...I'm in no rush....thank you brother
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