Lions of Sabi Sands

[Mohawk]

(10-15-2021, 05:52 PM)Mdz123 Wrote: Gotta say, most of Majingilane males sons weren’t so succesful, but they sired way more daughters and granddaughters that reached adulthood. So their bloodline is much stronger then most people think.

The Daughters of the Othawa male are doing well. I hope they extend the Majingilane bloodline by mating with other males.

Many lion enthusiasts, MYSELF INCLUDED, tend to follow the males more closely.  Some take it a step further and more or less ignore the females when talking about bloodlines, which is a big mistake in my opinion.

Bibi Tsalala, the Original Tailless Tsalala Lioness, is the prime example of why that sort of thinking is a mistake.  Her genes are some of the most dominant in the Sabi Sands.  She was the only survivor of the Ximhungwe Breakaway and raised two cubs that eventually spawned a breakaway that spawned a breakaway that seems to be in the process of spawning another breakaway.  Even if Bibi's father (whoever he was) sired no other offspring at all, his bloodline is still one of the most dominant in the Sabi Sands thanks to his daughter.

Males generally spread the genes further abroad, but lionesses are better at ensuring survival of a bloodline.  And they pass on the traits of their sires just as well as the males do.  The Birmingham Pride is a prime example.  Tinyo is smaller, but his mane would make his grandfathers, the Old Skybeds, proud.  The Majingilane weren't big males, but the Othawa Male was a tank thanks to either Makhulu or maybe Dreadlocks.  

The Mapogos only had two sons survive to adulthood and they disappeared into Kruger, but their bloodline is one of the strongest in the Sabi Sands thanks to their daughters.  Junior Matimba is dead and many of the other Southern Matimba sons are either dead or in Kruger, but their bloodline lives on with their daughters in the Nkuhuma, Talamati, and Torchwood Prides.  I'm hoping their Othawa sons are alive as well as Junior Majingi, but even if not, Sassy Jr. can carry all four bloodlines if she survives.  Majingalane sons may not be super successful yet (that we know of), but they have at least one daughter in just about every pride in the Sabi Sands.

Another part of the bloodline conversation that gets lost is that females are more loyal to their offspring than they are to males that dominate their pride.  I would bet money that all of the 2018/2019 Ntsevu/Kambula cubs were sired by the BBoys, but I would not make that same bet about the 2021 cubs.  It's very possible that they were, and Bboys will get the credit regardless, but the Ntsevus were mating with every lion they crossed path with in hopes that whatever coalition rules the land won't kill the cubs. 

And that is quite a common occurrence. When a coalition is small or spread really thin, nomads or males from surrounding coalitions often sneak in and mate with any female that they can. 

I have posted in the past about how it's impossible to determine lion paternity.  Nothing wrong with speculation, but it's just that, speculation.  This post is kind of a continuation of that.  We could argue until our fingers fall off about whether or not the Mapogos had any offspring in the Nkuhuma Pride, or if the Matimbas sired any of the 2015 Mhangeni cubs, or who sired the missing Ximhungwe cub, or who sired the most recent Mbiri cubs, or who sired the most recent Ntsevu cubs, etc.  One thing that can't be argued is which Pride they were born into. 

I'm not trying to ruffle any feathers or sound condescending.  Just stating an obvious point that often gets lost in the bloodline argument. Reply