Lions of Sabi Sands

[fursan syed]

The Rollercoaster Males

*This image is copyright of its original author

2007

January 2007

The Rollercoaster Males continuted to dominate during this report period. Of great significance is the sighting of one of the Rollercoaster male lions mating with a Styx Pride Lioness. A marathon-mating period of close on four days ensued, a direct indication of the lack of confidence the Styx pride is now showing in the Split Rock Male.
One or in some cases both of the Rollercoaster males were seen frequently with the Eyrefield Pride. One of the more memorable sightings was when three members of the pride and the elder Rollercoaster male lion were watched as they hunted in the Thamboti Thicket region. Guests watched as the lions successfully caught an adult female Nyala.

February 2007

The Rollercoaster males had an exceptional report period, with the first cub sired by these male being viewed for the first time in the report period. In the early part of the report period, rangers were concerned about the injury the older of the two males had sustained to his foreleg.
The male appeared to have fractured or badly sprained his leg, which would have been terrible news for the new born cub/s. Encouragingly the leg has appeared to mend, and the male has been noted to walk more freely towards the end of the report period. The males provided some fine viewing, especially with their toleration of the cub’s antics. The males were noted to show aggression between each other, possibly owing to one of the Eyrefield lioness coming into oestrus. Roaring by the males was noted on several occasions, with frequent roaring on the given occasion a norm.
Interestingly, a second lioness of the Styx pride was seen to mate with one of the Rollercoaster males. The lack of confidence in the Split Rock male seems to be increasing, and it appears only a matter of time before more lionesses seek the Rollercoaster males as their suitors.

March 2007

Early on the morning drive on the 06th March, rangers located one of the Rollercoaster males, resting on the parking bay. The male roared, and an answer was heard somewhere to his east. The male moved swiftly in the direction of the distant roar, leading rangers straight to the position of his brother. The lions rested for the entire day in a thicket of acacias. Late in the evening the lions headed east across the causeway, and then north through rhino pens. The males roared frequently during the evening, with their roars being heard late into the night from the comfort of the boma.
During the morning drive on the 12th March , many tracks of lions, as well as audio of lions roaring around the Mlowathi was heard. Unfortunately the lions were not found, however, following up in the evening, the two Rollercoaster males were found moving southwards towards the Piccadilly triangle region. Interestingly a herd of buffalo was resting in the area, however, no interaction was witnessed.
The Rollercoaster males were seen with the Eyrefield Pride on numerous occasions during the report period.

April 2007

In the presence of the two Rollercoaster brothers, the Eyrefield pride made a number of bold attempts in isolating a younger member of the buffalo herd on the 6th of April. In the midst of the chase one of the Rollercoaster males made time to mate with one of the lionesses on the airstrip.
With much time spent in the west the Rollercoaster males have not been patrolling their territory as rigorously. This has possibly allowed the Styx pride to be seen more frequently during the past month. Towards the end of the game report period the two brothers were seen around Campbell Koppies scent marking and roaring in the evenings (which could be heard from the Buffalo deck). This shows that the Rollercoaster Males are now very comfortable in their newly acclaimed territory.

May 2007

The Rollercoaster Males were viewed frequently on Mala Mala in the report period and were often witnessed roaring as they patrolled most of northern area of Mala Mala . One of the Rollercoaster Males was also seen to mate with a Styx lioness close to the Campbell Koppies.
These male lions are now very well associated with northern Mala Mala but their roaring still sends all other lions in the area on the run. It is hoped that if they remain in the north that the Styx Pride will become accustomed to them so that this pride can once again settle down close to Main Camp.

June 2007

The two Rollercoaster males were seen together in the early days of the month. This was to be the last time they would be seen together and possibly the last time they will ever be seen together. They were seen around Rattrays Camp and Mala Mala Camp in the last days of May. Thereafter they were not seen together again. A report was received from the trackers about a male lion being killed by a crocodile in Sparta in the early days of June. Subsequently a report from a Sparta ranger confirmed that a male lion, matching the description of one of the Rollercoaster males, was killed by a crocodile while feeding on a kill close to a waterhole. Since this report only one of the Rollercoaster males has been seen. The sightings of this lone Rollercoaster male have been frequent and varied. Shortly after the reported death of his brother he was found with the Eyrefield pride around Rattrays Camp.
Thereafter he was found mating with a Styx lioness around the Campbell Koppies. This mating session lasted about 4 days and ended up in the Piccadilly area. The Rollercoaster male then rejoined the Eyrefield pride around the Maurice’s pan area where they had killed a sub adult male kudu. This provided some excellent viewing for the day. The carcass was quickly finished, as the lions had been exceptionally slim prior to that day. For the remainder of the month he was seen mostly with the Eyrefield pride until right at the end he was once again found mating with a Styx lioness in the Piccadilly area. They mated for three days and then the Rollercoaster male returned to the Eyrefield pride. During the entire report period the Rollercoaster male was seen and heard to roar on many occasions. Roaring is used as a vocal territorial signal as well as a means of communicating between members of a coalition that has been separated. It can be assumed that although he is keeping himself busy he is still seeking his brother.

July 2007

The Rollercoaster male has been spending a lot of his time with the Eyrefield pride at the moment and is being a great father to the cubs of the pride. On the evening of the 02 August, the lions were found just south of the airstrip. In a large open area they had just killed an old male giraffe. All three adult lionesses, the Rollercoaster male and 5 cubs were feeding on the carcass.

August 2007

The Rollercoaster male was seen nearly every day during the month. He spent most of his time with the Eyrefield pride in and around his offspring. He was also seen to spend some time with the Styx pride and two of the females in particular, although no mating was seen. Even with the loss of his coalition partner this remaining male still controls both prides. Only the future will tell how long he can hang onto them though.

September 2007

The Rollercoaster male provided some fine viewing during the report period, with him being seen frequently with the Eyrefield pride. The male was witnessed roaring on most evenings, however of concern is that these roars were answered by other lions to his west on a number of occasions.
Towards the end of the report period, things appeared to get a little serious around Rattrays Camp, where his roars appeared to have little effect on the approaching roars of a number of lions to his west. He was sporting some fresh battle wounds towards the end of the report period, but importantly he has managed to keep all at bay up to the end of the report period. Things might get a little interesting in the following months; one hopes that he will continue to provide protection to his cubs.

October 2007

The Rollercoaster male was seen on nearly every day during the report period. He spent most of his time with the Eyrefield pride but was seen to mate with a Styx lioness. Mid way through the report period he disappeared for some days and returned with a bad limp clearly having been in a fight. Shortly afterwards the five Eyrefield Males were seen one also having a bad limp. Coincidence?

November 2007

The Rollercoaster male was seen on 16 occasions during the report period, with six of these occasions in association with the Eyrefield pride. The remainder of the time, he was seen alone. On the 8/11/07, he was seen to interact with an old male lion in the Piccadilly region. The old male was chased north along Eastern side Mlowathi. Incidentally, this old male was seen a few days previously in the F-bend open area, where he had a brief interaction with the Rock Drift male leopard.

December 2007

The Rollercoaster male was seen nearly every day throughout December. He split his time evenly between the Styx pride and the Eyrefield pride but neither pride was very hospitable to him. He was seen to be chased away by both prides on a number of occasions and looked scrawny for most of the month.
He roared on a number of occasions mostly looking for the females and his next meal. He was also viewed on his own many a time when he was in transition between prides on these occasions he did most of the roaring. He is now the father to both the prides cubs and so will have to remain vigilant if the cubs are to make it to maturity. More pressing on his mind will be the pressure coming from the males in the north as they look southwards mainly towards the Styx pride and a prime piece of real estate.

2008

January 2008

This old fellow is doing remarkably well. His relationship with the Eyrefield pride seems to have been diminished so he now spends most of his time with the Styx pride. He is in a good and healthy condition although his scar count seems to increase weekly. He is still mating with the females of the Styx pride and lends his strength to some of the hunts. Importantly he is doing a good job of protecting both the Styx and Eyrefield cubs. Perhaps there is a glimmer of hope for them.

April 2008

The Rollercoaster male is still living with the Styx pride. He is still mating with the females and is still eating with them and assisting in the kills of the larger creatures such as adult male kudus. He has not been seen to associate with the Eyrefield pride except at kills. He is in good condition for an aging male lion, still strong and still roaring his defiance at a world that would see him replaced in the not so distant future.

May 2008

The Rollercoaster male continues to spend a lot of time with both the Styx Pride and Eyrefield Pride. This aging male that has dominated the northern parts of Mala Mala for quite some time now and is still looking in good condition may be starting to feel some pressure by the increased presence of the Eyrefield males in his territory.

2010

January 2010

• Rollercoaster male (+/- 13 ½ years): (5 sightings)
Another legend passes at Mala Mala. The Rollercoaster male was euthanased on the first of January. He was in poor condition and the autopsy conducted by the Kruger vet confirmed this. He had mange all along his shoulders and back he had recently been in a lion fight and had fresh wounds along his flanks and rear end. And his adrenal gland had started turning his body muscle into energy just to keep him alive.
The story of the Rollercoaster males goes a long way back, in fact almost 10 years.
There were originally 5 males in the coalition; they come from the western sector of the Sabi Sands and set up territory along western Toulon, around the Rollercoaster road. The five brothers took over the Selati pride first but soon one of the males died. The four brothers then tried to move in on the Eyrefield pride and were seen mating with some the lionesses back in 2001 but the west street males just had enough in them to hold off the challenge. Then in a short space of time two more males in the coalition died and there were only two left. The males raised a successful litter with the Selati pride, this litter is from where the two golf course males originate. They then successfully took over the Eyrefield pride and started their journey northwards. The two brothers imposed themselves on the Eyrefield pride and when they got rid of the split rock male they made a play for the Styx pride. The Styx pride was accepting of the new males and all looked good for the two Rollercoaster males, until tragedy struck. One of the males found a dead elephant in the sand river in 2007 and while feeding on it he was attacked and killed by a crocodile, and then there was one. The last male finished off the take over of the Styx pride while still maintaining dominance of the Eyrefield pride. The Eyrefield pride produced cubs in 2006 but they were killed, then in 2007 they produced 10 cubs with the Rollercoaster male 7 of which are still alive. The Styx pride produced cubs in 2007 but they to were killed, but then more cubs were born early 2008, and the Rollercoaster male had his hands full dominating both prides. Around mid 2008 the Mlowathi males started showing interest in the Styx pride, and this was the beginning of the end for the last Rollercoaster male. He got chased away from the Styx pride but to this date some of his cubs still survive. He then stayed permanently with the Eyrefield pride until late 2009 when the Mlowathi males found him again. This time there was nowhere to hide and he became nomadic until his death on the first of the month.
A legend of his time he will be remembered for many years to come and his genes will flow strongly through the lion prides of Mala Mala for many more years after that. R.I.P. Reply