There is a world somewhere between reality and fiction. Although ignored by many, it is very real and so are those living in it. This forum is about the natural world. Here, wild animals will be heard and respected. The forum offers a glimpse into an unknown world as well as a room with a view on the present and the future. Anyone able to speak on behalf of those living in the emerald forest and the deep blue sea is invited to join.
(11-08-2023, 06:02 PM)Tonpa Wrote: S8 Male has died
*This image is copyright of its original author
*This image is copyright of its original author
RIP, he died as reigning king.
This death remainds me of Mhangeni Big Boys death, in both cases they where gone in a week or so.
They said they will take S8's body for abduction.
They did it with Mhangenis Big Boys body aswell, but we never got an answer what caused his demise.
I believe he was poisoned. I always will think that. Perhaps with arsenic which has no smell or taste. The symptoms are the same, too.
Such a shame, and they probably thought they'd get him with all the lionesses the first time, but they just kept at it.
I hope the last lioness and the cubs will be left alone. Somehow I don't think so.
No corpse lying around, so no addltional deaths to prove poisoning.
I think it's highly unlikely that someone would poison him, simply because he and the pride were within the Sabi Sands the whole time. Now if they had ventured into a neighbouring residential area/village and were taking down livestock and posing an immediate threat to the local community then that would make sense. However, because there haven't been any human-wildlife conflicts between S8, his pride and the neighboring communities (unless I've missed something), I doubt poisoning would be a factor because no one would gain anything from their deaths.
The neighboring communities close to that Manyleti corner (Pungwe) adjacent to Sabi Sands seems to always be a problem (or if not the communities themselves, trouble comes from that direction and their close poximity to reserves enables it). With so many lions and other animals snared (just that we know off), there is certainly an opening for malevolent activity and it is just upon what those people are up to, meat poisoning is certainly feasible, no matter whether we understand the motivation for it. It is just that unlike Sabi Sands Manyeleti is not a private reserve and with South Africa reality anything non-private is gonna be mismanaged one way or another, in this case failing in 100% protection of its perimeter and animals moving through or nearby enough. It's entirely possible and if it is the case we will most likely never hear about it. Just the thing they checked Blondie Avoca for potential gunshot wound paint a good picture what is possible out there.