Lions of Sabi Sands

[Mapokser]

Mala Mala January 2024 report:

No sightings of the Marthly female.

THE SAND RIVER PRIDE = 14
 2 ADULT FEMALES ± 10 YEARS 6 MONTHS 
 2 ADULT FEMALES ± 5 YEARS 6 MONTHS 
 1 SUB-ADULT FEMALE 4 YEARS 0 MONTHS 
3 SUB-ADULTS (1 FEMALE & 2 MALES) 3 YEARS 5 MONTHS 
6 SUB-ADULTS 2 YEARS 5 MONTHS 
SOUTHERN CHARLESTON
 (1 sighting) 

Members of the Sand River Pride were only seen on one occasion this month, and at least some of the 
lionesses have been forced into submission by the Nkhulu male coalition. Due to this takeover, the 
sub-adults of this pride have scattered and potentially killed by the new males. On the 24th, four lionesses were with a single Nkhulu male in the Sand River at KK Crossing.

THE TORCHWOOD PRIDE = 26 
 7 ADULT FEMALES UNKNOWN AGES 
 6 ADULT FEMALES ± 7 YEARS 9 MONTHS 
7 SUB-ADULTS ± 3 YEARS 4 MONTHS 
 6 CUBS ±1 YEAR 0 MONTHS 
EASTERN EYREFIELD
 (2 sightings) 

Six lionesses and their six cubs were seen twice in January. On the 12th, they were to the south of 
Emsagwen Waterhole and were moving steadily eastwards towards the Kruger National Park 
Boundary. The same group were seen again on the 20th, east of Buffalo Bush Dam, where they were 
feeding on the remains of an impala kill. 

Male lions:

THE SOUTHERN AVOCA MALE = 1 
 1 ADULT MALE ± 10 YEARS 11 MONTHS 
NOMADIC
 First encountered on MalaMala Game Reserve 
 (1 sighting) 

The Southern Avoca male was seen once this month on the 16th where he was west of Charleston North Crossing, looking very weathered but still fighting on despite his exile and the loss of his brother.

THE BLACK DAM MALES = 2 
 2 ADULT MALES ± 6 YEARS 4 MONTHS 
EYREFIELD
 First encountered on MalaMala Game Reserve in 2022
 (0 sightings) 

There were no sightings of these two males this month.

OTHER LIONS ENCOUNTERED: 

The SKORRO MALE was seen on the property on the 4th when he was chased north from Senegal 
Bush by the smaller Ndhzenga male. He is thought to be 6 years old and broke away from a pride 
that originates further north of MalaMala but has recently been spending time to our west.

On the 16th, we had an unusual visitor in the form of one of the IMBALI MALES, who was seen at 
the Windmill. This is a member of a coalition of three who are now dominant over the Leeupan 
pride in the Kruger National Park.

One of the NKHULU MALES was seen with members of the Sand River pride at KK Crossing on the 24th and is spending more time with this pride. 

A young male from the STYX PRIDE was seen on the 25th at Mamba Waterhole. 

A group of two lionesses and three sub-adult males have been seen on a few occasions over the 
last few months. In previous game reports, we referred to them as members from the 4WAYS. PRIDE but due to some uncertainty, we will just refer to them as UNIDENTIFIED until there is more clarity. This group was seen three times this month. On the 5th, they were west of the Tjellahanga River, midway along, and on the 8th, they were in the Rock Drift Donga to the south of Lion Rocks. 

Two lionesses and only two of the sub-adult males were seen on the 25th on the eastern bank of 
the Sand River, north of Verreaux’s Crossing.
An UNIDENTIFIED MALE was seen at Gowrie Boom on the 30th.

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