Lions of Sabi Sands

[fursan syed]

Split Rock Males

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Old Mala Mala Sightings of 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007

2001

November 2001



4 Male lions: It is thought that a coalition of four young male lions is making its way into the north and eastern parts of the reserve. One of them has a heavy mane. The other three, perhaps 6 years of age, are very similar in appearance and are probably brothers; they have less well developed manes. The larger male appears to be the most dominant of the four. All lions were seen together only once this month when they were together with what may have been the Emsagwen lioness. Such lions are at a stage when they are looking out for a territory of their own and the absence of the Mlowathi Males from this area would be noticed by them. They and the West Street Males would then be competing for the same chunk of land.


December 2001



The West Street Males started the month off on a bad note when they were routed by a group of four young male lions which appear to be moving into the north-eastern parts of the reserve, part of the area vacated by the Mlowathi Males some months ago. The West Street Males have up to now also been vying for this particular piece of land. The clash happened when the two West Street Males which had been patrolling the northern parts of the reserve for the last few months came face to face with four younger male lions. The four young males - three looking to be brothers of approximately 5 or 6 years of age and another male with a large mane - were fat and full, probably having killed a buffalo during the night. They were lying with the old Emsagwen lioness which was not as fat as they were and looking somewhat perturbed by the presence of the young males. When the five lions were found, they seemed more concerned about sheltering against a fine drizzle which was falling than on anything else. Suddenly, the two old West Street Males arrived from the north, perhaps following the large herd of buffalo which had evidently been sent packing by the five the night before. Upon seeing the younger lions, the two West Street Males froze. They were still sixty or so meters away and the young lions had not yet seen them. After studying the opposition for a while and urinating in the area and scratching the soil, the West Street Males slowly advanced upon the other lions. They approached with a deliberate, stiff-legged gait, body-upright position - all designed to intimidate the opposition. They also separated slightly so that they were 15 or so meters apart. When they were approximately 30 meters from the younger males, they were spotted. The younger lions' hackles went up and they raised their heads to alert status, glaring at the approaching bigger lions. 

But they did not panic - at least this was not noticed in their behaviour - and this may have saved them. One or two of them started licking themselves and one stood up and simulated mating with one of his brothers - acts which showed near indifference to the approaching older males. The Emsagwen lioness knew what was coming and wanted to be anyplace but in the immediate area. As one of the West Street Males was rubbing his mane into a tree and scrape-marking, his companion turned away, this probably a fatal move. The younger lions noticed the hesitation and, led by the biggest male, started towards the two West Street Males, first at a slow walk and then at a run. The West Street Males tried to make a stand, but it was too much. One was cornered and briefly mauled, but then managed to flee and the race was on! The two West Street Males ran as fast as they could with the large-maned male of the four in hot pursuit, roaring as he went. The three younger males appeared to be slightly overwhelmed at what had been achieved and regrouped in the original area, leaving the pursuit to the older and most dominant of their group. And the West Street Males fled, the one following the other by 100 or so meters and perhaps fooling the leading male that he was the enemy and causing it to sprint away from him, not just running with the easy lope which lions use to cover great distances at deceptively fast speeds. The pursuit did not last for more than a kilometre before the roaring victor returned to his companions.



The four young male lions continued to stay around the middle and upper parts of the Matshapiri. They certainly appear to be doing well for themselves in terms of nutrition. Although they are definitely willing to tackle buffalo, the only one which they were seen eating this month was a cow which appeared to have died from natural causes. For a few days they followed the large herd of buffalo further south and west until they reached a point from which they seemed unwilling to proceed any further; this would have taken them into territory still very much occupied by the West Street Males. So although the West Street Males had been chased off, this had happened when they were on foreign land; the young male lions had benefited from the 'home-town advantage'. Moving into unknown land puts the invading force at a definite psychological disadvantage and the earlier win over the West Street Males may not have been repeated on foreign territory. But what is to happen to the West Street Males? Although beaten in one area, this may only have set back their expansionist plans and they could still consolidate back in what is left of their old territory. But if the young males gather their courage and have the desire to conquer, then it might be the end.

2002

January 2002



Four male lions - one estimated at 8 years of age, the other three, probably brothers, at 6 years of age: These four male lions have been establishing themselves towards the north-eastern parts of Mala Mala and are the same which ran the West Street Males out of this area a month ago. So far they seem to be consolidating themselves to some degree, either patrolling the area, following buffalo or hanging out with some of the lionesses of the area. As far as is known, they have not made contact with any members of the Styx Pride and seem to have concentrated their attentions on the old Emsagwen lioness and a family of at least five lionesses which seems to be spending more and more time in this area too. One of the lionesses of this pride has a noticeably kink in her tail. Some of these lionesses were seen mating with the two most dominant members of the '4' towards the beginning of the game-report-period. The male lions involved in the mating - the older male and one of the younger ones - appeared slightly unsure of how to go about things when they were approached by the lionesses. This was probably the cause of the some of the aggression which the lionesses then directed at them whilst mating and soliciting. The two males of the coalition which did not have any females to mate with - number 3 and 4 in the hierarchy of the male group - slept whilst all of this was going on. Towards the end of the month, three of these four male lions - one of the younger members seems to spend a fair amount of time separate from the others - became more adventurous and followed the large herd of buffalo off the north-western parts of the reserve. This position is far from where they have up to now been recorded and if they persist in entering and eventually dominating these peripheral areas, then they will surely come into contact with the Styx Pride.


February 2002



Four male lions - one estimated at 8 years of age, the other three, probably brothers, at 6 years of age: These four male lions almost dominated male lion viewing this month and as the confidence of the West Street Males to their west wanes, so theirs increases. There was only one day when all four of the lions were seen and this when they had separated out into pairs, the one group courting some lionesses, the other two hunting buffalo. Later that evening they all tended to head in the same direction, that being north after the lionesses. Thereafter there were sightings of only three of the lions - the older male and two of the younger ones, either together or the younger two on their own and the 8-year-old on his own or with lionesses. If one of the younger lions had been killed during the course of the month it would come as no surprise given the attention these lions paid to killing buffalo. Almost all sightings involving these three male lions had them harassing the large herd of buffalo and this often with success. But the killing of buffalo, even if only calves, is risky and all of the lions were sporting fresh wounds after these interactions. The standard approach for the lions seemed to be to carefully examine the buffalo herd in order to pick out the weaker ones. Once these animals were detected - newly born calves, crippled adults and so forth - they would harass their quarry to the point where the buffalo would eventually have enough and move off. This would then expose the weaker buffalo to greater stress, cause them to drop behind and allow the lions easier access to them. A common sight this month was to see abandoned calves behind the buffalo herd, perhaps as the buffalo sensed that such youngsters would inevitably be caught and in their weakened state would only be a burden for the rest of the herd. And so the lions probably managed to scavenge from these pickings too. And as the month progressed, so the lions moved more and more west and towards the end of February, the largest of the four teemed up with six lionesses and followed the large herd of buffalo far west until they were at the banks of the Sand River and deep inside Styx Pride territory. Here the lions killed yet another calf, this amongst a great deal of roaring and fighting. And half a kilometre of so from where all of this was happening the Styx Pride watched with horror. If these male lions continue to advance, they would without doubt seek to dominate them and this would result in the killing of their cubs. So the four (or is it three?) male lions have a potentially powerful future ahead and the next few months may prove most momentous for them.


March 2002



These three male lions are the survivors of the 4 which started exploring the northeastern parts of Mala Mala in the latter parts of last year. The fourth male lion was last seen in early February and at the time looked somewhat sickly and scarred. All four were together when they chased the West Street Males from the northeastern parts of the reserve, this after the Mlowathi Male lions simply left and the area became vacant.



The Split Rock Males certainly concentrate upon the Clarendon Pride, particularly the larger male lion of this coalition. Whilst this bigger male is with the lionesses, the other two seem to patrol boundaries or follow buffalo. The territory which the Split Rock Males control appears to be increasing in a south-westerly direction which would take them into more regular contact with the Styx Pride, a grave threat to the young cubs of this family. But at the moment, the Clarendon Pride seems to have a hold on them and until these lionesses have cubs, it could be anticipated that the Split Rock Males may not show too great an interest in any neighbouring prides, the Styx Pride included.


April 2002



The Split Rock Males had a dramatic month with the oldest male being seen more frequently than the other two whilst he hung out with the Clarendon Pride.



Onone occassion the Split Rock Male and the trio from the Clarendon Pride (young male included) were on the freshly killed carcass of an adult female buffalo, perhaps the same one which had bypassed them with the newborn calf the previous night. A dead buffalo calf was also in the area. As the lions were feeding, the two West Street Males emerged and headed their way and in a matter of minutes had the lone Split Rock Male on the run, chasing him far up the Matshapiri River before they halted and returned to the carcass of the buffalo where the other three lions were now feeding. Since this trio of lions seemed to show great subservience towards the West Street Males, they were left well alone and all lions stayed in the area for the next 24 hours until the Split Rock Male returned. This time the West Street Males did not even try anything; they fled. The single Split Rock Male walked towards them, stiff-legged and holding his head high with his mane standing up. The West Street Males ran. The next big event for some of the Clarendon Pride happened not long after this when some of them and one of the other Split Rock Males again harassed the buffalo, eventually that evening finding an apparently abandoned buffalo calf. Then, a couple of weeks later, three of the lionesses and the young male of the pride killed an old buffalo cow along the upper reaches of the Mlowathi River, an area more Styx Prides' than theirs. The Styx Pride arrived on the scene and chased the Clarendon Pride off, before themselves being chased off by the three Split Rock Males. In the process the Styx Pride lost two of their cubs.



Then, towards the end of the month, the Clarendon Pride and all three of the Split Rock Males were found close to the northeastern parts of the reserve with the carcasses of three buffalo, two cows and a calf. The Split Rock Males, particularly the largest of the trio, were often with the Clarendon lionesses. It is not known whether any of the pride members are pregnant or not.


May 2002



Compared with previous months' viewing,, little was seen of the Split Rock Males. Of the three sightings of members of the Clarendon Pride this month, two included at least one member of the Split Rock Males. Otherwise they seemed to spend the month doing what is expected of territorial male lions - patrolling borders and perhaps trying to catch some or other large item of prey such as a buffalo. The largest of the trio still appears to be the most dominant.


June 2002



The only sighting of all three of the Split Rock Males this month occurred when they were with two of the Clarendon Pride, in the general area of the large herd of buffalo. Early in the month, a male lion, almost certainly one of the Split Rock Males, was seen sniffing around an area where the Styx Pride had just passed through and then towards the end of the month one of the younger members of this trio spent a day following behind the large herd of buffalo.


July 2002



These lions were not seen this month. It may be that lionesses from the Clarendon Pride have cubs and this has kept them and the Split Rock Males fairly area-bound. Field staff reported an incident when the Styx Pride was seen chasing a single adult male lion which may have been one of the Split Rock Males. This occurred on the northwestern parts of the reserve.


August 2002



There may have been a couple of sightings of the Split Rock Males this month, both of these to the very northeast of the reserve. On both occasions, only two adult male lions were seen. On one occasion, the lions were mating with a lioness. It is not certain whether this lioness was a member of the Clarendon Pride or was the old Emsagwen lioness. On the second occasion, the male lions were with 2 lionesses. Once again, the identity of these two lionesses was not certain.


September 2002



The Split Rock Males were not specifically seen and identified this month, but two male lions found on northern Eyrefield were probably members of this coalition.


October 2002



It is not certain whether any of the Split Rock Males were seen this month. There were two sightings of the same two adult male lions towards the northern and northwestern parts of Mala Mala and they could well have been members of the Split Rock Male coalition. So little has been seen of this trio over the last half-year that their exact wanderings and status in the area is no longer well known. The two male lions seen this month may well have been responsible for the deaths of two of the younger Styx Pride cubs, this towards the upper reaches of the Mlowathi River at the same place where in April this year, two other cubs belonging to the Styx Pride died when they tried to chase the Clarendon Pride and Split Rock Males from a buffalo kill.


November 2002



These three lions were seen this month near the upper reaches of the Matshapiri River, this the first confirmed sighting of them for quite some time. With the West Street Males now looking hungrily towards this area again, perhaps the Split Rock Males think it wise to make their presence felt once more.


December 2002



There were no confirmed sightings of these male lions this month. Towards the north of Mala Mala, a single male lion was found eating a young buffalo; this may have been one of the Split Rock Males.

2003

January 2003



The Split Rock Males were seen once this month, this towards the northeastern corner of the reserve. They were accompanied by five lionesses of the Clarendon Pride. All lions looked very thin.


February 2003



The Split Rock Males were seen only once and this towards the very beginning of the February game-report-period. They were towards the northeastern parts of the reserve and were together with five lionesses from the Clarendon Pride. All lions looked in poor condition. When found, they were all fast asleep at one of the last functional waterholes in the region and appeared to have recently eaten something, enough to make their bellies bulge slightly. But the lions had no flesh on their bones, a sure sign that food is becoming difficult for them to come by. And not surprising; the area in which they stay has water only in the form of rainwater-filled waterholes and now that these have all but dried up, the prey species simply must be scarce.


March 2003



There was a single sighting of two of the Split Rock Males, this on the northern parts of the Mala Mala Game Reserve/ Kruger National Park boundary.  At the time they were eyeing out a herd of buffaloes.  With the very dry conditions in this area resulting in little water and grazing, the Split Rock Males and Clarendon Pride have probably had a difficult year.  Last rainy season things were very different for them; grass and water towards the northeast of the reserve was plentiful and the buffaloes were present on an almost daily basis and the lions prospered.


April 2003



Perhaps only two of the three Split Rock Males were seen this month, mostly accompanying some of the Clarendon Pride at the scene of a dead rhino which provided an unexpected bonus for them.  And such feasts are just what these lions can do with.  Given the dry conditions experienced so far this year, the Clarendon Pride and Split Rock Males have perhaps suffered more than most prides of lions and could do with any piece of luck which comes their way.


May 2003



There may have been one sighting of one of these males, this together with a lioness, perhaps from the Styx Pride.  This sighting was towards the upper parts of the Mlowathi River and the lions were mating.


June 2003



There was a single sighting of two of the Split Rock Males this month, this when the oldest one and one of the younger ones were seen near the upper parts of the Mlowathi River on NW Eyrefield.  They seemed to be in good condition and moved north and west off the reserve.  In spite of seeing so little of the Split Rock Males over the last year or so, footprints indicate that they are active on the northern parts of the reserve more regularly than sightings suggest.


July 2003



No sightings of any of these lions this month.


August 2003



There were several sightings of at least two of these male lions this month and, on one occasion, of one of them running in to steal an impala which the Styx Pride lionesses had just killed.  What was particularly fascinating about this scene was the reaction of the lionesses; instead of fleeing in terror, they scattered and then stayed in the area, clearly respectful of the lion.  Although the Split Rock Males have up until recently been regarded as enemy to the Styx Pride (having killed at least some of the Styx Prides' cubs over the last year-and-a-half - these sired by the Mlowathi Males which abandoned the Styx Pride some time ago) it is thought that they have, within the last half-year, mated with them and, now that at least one of the these females has given birth, the lionesses have little choice but to accept them as lords and masters. 

The question now, is, will the Split Rock Males, having gained control of the Styx Pride, move with them when they head southwards or will the Styx Pride stay north, within the realm of the Split Rock Males.  With the West Street Males, the lions to the south of the Split Rock Males and which always sought control over the Styx Pride now rapidly weakening, perhaps the Split Rock Males will indeed head southwards, not only to enlarge their kingdom, but to maintain effective control over the Styx Pride, lionesses which over the least few years have been notoriously nomadic.


September 2003



No sightings of any of these males.


October 2003


Sightings of the Split Rock Males suggest that there are only two of them left, the older one and another.  This month there were two sightings of them, both when they entered the domain of the West Street Males, their intentions clearly being to expand territory.  As far as is known, the West Street Males responded and effectively scuttled these plans, at least for now.


November 2003



The Split Rock Males probably had a month of somewhat mixed fortunes.  They certainly survived the month, but may have ended it feeling that they had been sort of bested by their aging neighbours and adversaries, the West Street Males.  Near the beginning of the game-report-period, the older of the Split Rock Males killed a buffalo cow and her calf on NW Mala Mala.  The buffalo had a broken leg and it was simply a matter of time before a predator dispatched of her.  The lion then dragged the carcasses into a thicket and began feasting on them.  When members of the Mlowathi Pride appeared, they were chased off, settling the question as to whether they were under the 'control' of the Split Rock Males or not.  The following day, however, there was no sign of the Split Rock Male at the carcasses and his place had been taken by one of the West Street Males.  The area in which the buffalo had been killed is probably more West Street Male territory than Split Rock Male territory and so the psychological advantage lay with the West Street Male.  No attempt to dislodge the West Street Male was seen. 

Then, a week later, the old lioness of the Styx Pride came into season, but instead of finding the Split Rock Males courting her, she attracted one of the West Street Males, sworn enemies to the Styx Pride for nearly six years now.  But, with mating being the objective, the old lionesses bodily desires won the day and the two of them stayed together, mating for perhaps as long as 48 hours in an area of central Eyrefield considered Split Rock Male turf, rather than West Street Male territory.  And it may have been that the West Street Male was finally chased off by the Split Rock Males; the following day he was seen moving steadily back south, searching for his companions, whilst the old lioness of the Styx Pride was together with one of the Split Rock Males.  But, by that time the damage was done and the 'lions share' of the mating simply must have gone to the West Street Male.  How teeth-gnashing this must have been for the Split Rock Males! 

Then, on the last day of the November game-report-period, both Split Rock Males were seen together on NW Mala Mala, back in West Street Male land, apparently renewing their offensive to gain control of West Street Male territory!  Anyway, it will be an interesting few months ahead if the Split Rock Males persist.  Although the West Street Males are still dishing out some humiliations at the expense of the Split Rock Males, time is probably on the Split Rock Males' side and eventually one expects them to triumph.


December 2003


The Split Rock Males were seen many times this month and appeared to continue with their probing into the West Street Males' territory.  On one occasion, the two Split Rock Males walked all the way down to northwestern Flockfield and slept all day opposite Harry's Camp.  That evening they roared many times, issuing a clear warning to the West Street Males that they were in a combative mood.  Response from the West Street Males wasn't impressive and it may be only a matter of several weeks now before the aging West Street Males are finally deposed. 

Towards the end of the game-report period, the two Split Rock Males found the carcass of an adult female buffalo near the confluences of the Sand, Mlowathi and Manyelethi Rivers.  The buffalo had died of natural causes and the lions spent several days feeding from it.  On one occasion, when the lions were resting in nearby reeds, an old male leopard slipped in and started scavenging on the kill.  His back was turned to the two lions and when one of them came ambling across to the carcass, it saw the leopard first and very nearly caught it; luck just happened to be going the leopards' way that day and, in spite of a long and furious chase, it escaped from the lion.  Then, later on, the Marthly Pride (two lionesses and two year-old cubs) came along.  They approached cautiously but were soon greeting the Split Rock Males and all of them tucked into the rotting remains of the dead buffalo. 
The following morning the six lions were feeding on another buffalo carcass, this an adult female that had probably wandered down to the water and was pounced on by the lions.  And so the feast continued for another few days before both Marthly Pride and Split Rock Males went their separate ways.  Not only is the Marthly Pride seldom seen these days (they were almost resident up until a couple of years ago), but their relationship with the Split Rock Males was also not known.  Another lion family under the control of the Split Rock Males is the Styx Pride; these have cubs and the Split Rock Males were seen with them on one occasion.  It is thought that the Clarendon Pride, a family hardly ever encountered these days, is also dominated by the Split Rock Males.  Do these two male lions then really have it in them to take over West Street Male territory?  And, if they do, will they take over the Eyrefield Pride as well or will the Eyrefield Pride move away and the only change for the Split Rock Males and their three groups of lionesses will be a realignment of borders? Reply