Lion Directory

[Jubatus]

Mapogo Coalition

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Mapogo Coalition - 6 Male Lions also known as the Eyrefield Males, the Sparta Males and in some regions the “Cannibals“ They were named Mapogo after a security company that utilizes rather harsh methods in dealing with offenders. We’ve found several different meanings for Mapogo. Ulusaba refers to it as meaning “Vigilantes“ and Savanna Lodge refers to the Mapogo name being a Zulu word meaning “Rogues”. What ever the meaning, they are Bad News!

Pride they Originated From: Eyrefield Pride aka Sparta Pride This pride still exists and consists of 3 adult females and 9 cubs. Two of the remaining Eyrefield pride lionesses are siblings of the Mapogos and the third and oldest lioness may very well be the Mother to some of them. The dominant male of this Pride today is the one remaining Roller Coaster/Shaw/Castleton Male.

Sired by: A Coalition of 5 Male Lions known as The West Street Males aka The Sparta Males. These males took over the Eyrefield/Sparta pride from the Manyeleti males in 1998. They were approximately 8 yrs of age at the time and successfully raised many cubs to adulthood during their reign. The last of this coalition died in 2004 at the approximate age of 14 years or even older (some reports indicated the last two were plus/minus 16 yrs in 2003 when two of the original four Marthly/Split Rock/Robson males moved in).

The Oldest Mapogo Male is said to be unrelated to the other 5. The story is that the original pride (Eyrefield/Sparta) lost a male sub adult of 20 to 21 months of age in May/June 2000 and in July 2000 this male of about the same age latched on to the original pride. Though not readily accepted by the lionesses, the West Street Males barely tolerated him though they did not kill him as he was no threat to their dominance due to his age. His life was not an easy one as he was considered an outcast, yet this young lion became one of the boldest and most valued hunters by helping to keep the pride fed when the West Street males became too old. Londolozi refers to the oldest Mapogo male as "Ngalalalekha”. Ngala means lion so does lalekha mean “old, older, oldest”? Another name for this male is "Ngalagalega" said to mean "The Lonely Lion". This oldest Male is elusive. He is said to be bigger, bolder and darker than the other five. He is believed to be the sire of most of the Mapogo cubs that have been born.
One story about this older Mapogo male that sticks out in our minds is when Londolozi reported a sighting of two hyena clans on a buffalo carcass. A group of approximately 25 adult elephants standing shoulder to shoulder with little ones behind them were staring the hyenas down. A noise was heard behind the vehicle and when the spotlight was shown in that direction an “enormous” male lion burst into their sight roaring louder than any roar they had ever heard before which sent 30 hyenas scattering. It was the leader of the six Mapogos. He stared down the wall of elephants which after about 5 minutes of standing their ground finally gave way to the lone male and moved off.





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