Lions of Sabi Sands

[Mapokser]

@KNPLimper Yeah it's said they came from the Ximhungwe/Castleton pride.

You can read the MM reports on the Rollercoasters here: https://wildfact.com/forum/topic-lions-o...ds?page=28

They mention many interactions with the Charleston pride, I'll repost some here so anyone interested doesn't need to read the entire countless reports to find their specific interactions:

March 2002:

"Whilst on the eastern bank of the Sand River it is not known whether they actually met up with the Charleston Pride, but the latter did not seem particularly concerned about their presence. And they simply had to have known about it; the four male lions were certainly very evident, splitting into two pairs and roaming all over, following buffalo and hunting regularly. The fact that the Charleston Pride did not flee the area when these four male arrived may be an indication that they are indeed familiar with them, this from their early days as pride members."

This was despite the Charleston pride being at the control of the Ridge Rocks Males.

July 2002:

"So far, in addition to the central-south and west of Mala Mala, they seem to go all the way south, into areas patrolled by the Charleston Pride. But these forays do not seem to threaten the Charleston Pride and when seen this way during July, it was probably mostly for hunting purposes. Some evidence suggests that these males are in fact brothers, half brothers and even a cousin of the Charleston Pride lionesses and so, being familiar with them perhaps puts them at ease."

February 2003:

"Evidence suggests that the Rollercoaster Males are brothers of the three younger Charleston Pride lionesses and previous wanderings of these male lions in territory covered by the Charleston Pride did not excite the females, so perhaps they will not threaten the Charleston Pride. But the Ridge Rocks Males may feel threatened and respond."

May 2003:

"A short while after this initial appearance in the area by the Charleston Pride and Ridge Rocks Males, the Charleston Pride lionesses and one of the Ridge Rocks Males killed a giraffe and spent a few days eating it.  When the Rollercoaster Males appeared, the carcass of the giraffe was almost completely finished and the Ridge Rocks Male had gone, perhaps having detected the Rollercoaster Males arrival well in advance and, realising that he was alone and on the fringes of his turf, decided to flee.  Interestingly, the Charleston Pride lionesses seemed in no hurry to leave, but then it has often been thought that they are sisters to the Rollercoaster Males and have little fear of them."

February 2004:

"Although all Rollercoaster Males were accounted for this month, there were no sightings of all three together.  Things appear to be going well for this trio which controls the southwestern parts of the reserve.  The only time when any of them were seen with the Selati Pride, the family of lions under their control in this area, was towards the end of the report-period when two of them were found feasting off a zebra carcass with some of the lionesses.  Whilst these lions were feeding, they were approached by one of the Charleston Pride lionesses, but she was chased off by the Selati Pride.  Some evidence suggests that the Rollercoaster Males are the Charleston Pride lioness' brothers."

With all these instances and interactions I think it's pretty safe to say the Rollercoaster males were definitely, 100%, the brothers of the Charleston females. Nothing else explains all these weird peaceful interactions when they were supposed to be enemies. No lionesses in their right state of mind will calmly stay in a kill after her dominant males ran due to the presence of rival males, or even worse, try to join a rival male and his pride in their kill.

Same for the RCs, as dominant territorial males they had no reasons to interact with their neighbouring Charleston pride without chasing, threatening or trying to take over them. Only explanation is the one offered by MalaMala, they must have been siblings and therefore didn't see each other as enemies. Reply