The Tumbela Coalition

[1ofCourage]

(07-31-2022, 07:23 PM)Wyld@Heart Wrote:

(07-31-2022, 05:05 PM)Duco Ndona Wrote: If he continues behaving as a territorial male, keeps drawing attention by rroaring, doesnt contribute in hunting etc and keeps stealing pride kills. The pride will be better of without him.

I'm sorry but that's not how it works. Male lions are a drain on pride resources; it's just the way lion behaviour is. That said, males do contribute and they do get the lion's share, as it were. It's the trade off the pride makes for being able to raise cubs into the next generation for the pride. Also, there seems to be a misconception about 'drawing attention'. Lions roar and scent mark. Again, it is lion behaviour. When they go silent it's an indication of now going under the radar, becoming semi-nomadic nomadic altogether or ceasing to exist. 

During the culling period in the Kruger, it was noted with some surprise at how quickly areas where culling of lions had taken place were inhabited again by other lions. Scent and sound are enormously important to lion dynamics, it just about provides a map of what is around them and defines territories and when there is no sound or scent from an area lions eventually move into it. Having a territorial male is what binds lion prides together and keeps out the competition and without them, even if it is just one male, pride dynamics would collapse as males would come and go, the lionesses would be extremely overstressed and cubs would simply not get the chance to reach adulthood. You can't really say the pride would be better off without him and expect it to be true in practice as what you think would happen with him i.e. males coming in because they know he's there, will happen anyway if males think the territory is unoccupied. The pride stands a better chance with him behaving as a territorial male and at least attempting to defend them than have them open to incursions and the uncertainty of nomad life. 

Now whether he will actually stay and defend or be able to hold the territory is unclear. I am not saying he will stay nor saying that he will be able hold it but that:

1. The pride needs stability and a territorial male gives that and that Skorro would hopefully behave like one. 

2. The uncertainty of the bush at any time means that Skorro being ousted in a takeover, should he stay, is by no means a foregone conclusuon. 

3. Any pride with cubs/sub adults are better off with a territorial male, even if it's just a single male, than without one and being forced to live on the margins to protect them.

When the Tintswalo males took over and Red Road lost many of his 17 cubs and one lioness, he moved his pride way down south. They went so fast and far it nearly killed his remaining cubs. A very much needed buffalo meal saved the weakest of them for sure.
Since then RR has moved the pride constantly.  I believe it’s his #1 tactic for protection. He does patrol and behave as a territorial male, but not when it’s 4:1. 
He seems to have a much bigger area than 
Socorro Jr had. He had more choices.
Skorro WILL help with the hunts and I believe won’t be a strain that Limper may have been. Reply