Avoca male lions

[T I N O]

The Battle of Imbali – Matimbas vs Avoca Males - PART 1 
One of the shortest nights of 2017 would become one of the longest nights for two of the Matimba males on the Mluwati concession.  The confrontation between them and the three Avoca males had been building up for a couple of days already.  The Avoca males spent three days on a buffalo kill just off the S36 during the previous week, while the Matimbas were somewhere in the North of the concession.
We realized that there was a showdown looming when the two Matimbas showed up at the Imbali waterhole early on the morning of the 20th of December.  They declared their arrival with loud roars and in the distance, there was an ominous answer from the three Avoca males.  The Matimbas flopped down in the shade but stayed alert and watchful as they heard the roars of the Avoca males getting closer.  Our guides followed the approaching Avoca males until they too, lay down and went quiet.  The scene had been set, but the action stopped, as both groups of lions decided to rest during the heat of the day. 

Picture: One of the Matimbas listening to the approaching roars of the Avoca Males. 

*This image is copyright of its original author

Reply