Kambula/Ntsevu Pride

[Tonpa]

Kambula Pride

Once again, the Kambula pride members were seen numerous times this month. Most of the cubs are now old enough to keep up with the females, so they have begun to move further south and east into their territory, away from the denning areas along the Sand River. The lioness, with the four newest members of the pride, spent most of September at West Street Bridge before moving her den site further south to Flockfield Pools on the 25th. We have also removed the young adult male lions and the young female who went with them from the core of this pride. They will feature in the ‘other lion’ section when they are seen.

Noteworthy sightings:

• From the 1st to the 2nd, four lionesses and 12 cubs were between Old Wildebeest Crossing and Maurice’s Pan, looking very hungry.
• On the 3rd, one of the younger cubs was alone east of the Quarry at the Airstrip, looking weak and was found dead the next day.
• On the 5th, one cub was alone near Styx Rocks.
• Five lionesses and the cubs were joined by the two Ndhzenga males on the 6th for a much needed feast on a buffalo bull east of the central parts of the Matshapiri River. Unfortunately, this meal came too late for one cub whose carcass was found near where the others fed.
• They were all together again the next day at Emsagwen Waterhole.
• On the 9th, three of the females, 10 cubs and one Ndhzenga male fed on another buffalo east of West Street Bridge. They were joined by the second Ndhzenga male and another lioness the next day.
• They were still at West Street Bridge on the 11th, where the four youngest cubs were present.
• The two members of the pride without cubs were moving between Bicycle Crossing and Sandpit Crossing from the 12th to the 15th.
• On the 14th, one of the lionesses was with the Black Dam males at Mlowathi Dam.
• One Ndhzenga male was with two lionesses at Bicycle Crossing on the 16th.
• On the 19th, four females and ten cubs shared a small meal of an impala with the Ndhzenga males south of Rattray’s Camp.
• On the 21st, three lionesses stole a nyala kill from the Ottawa pack of Cape hunting dogs at Sand Pit Crossing.
• From the 22nd to the 26th, the four females with the ten cubs were in the vicinity of Flockfield Pools and were joined by the fifth lioness and her four young cubs from the 25th .
• On the 24th, one of the females was mating with an Ndhzenga male west of Piccadilly Triangle, while two of the other females were further north up the Mlowathi River.
• On the 26th, two lionesses were with the two Ndhzenga males at the Boom Hut. The one female mated with both the males on different occasions over the next two days.
• On the 27th, the bulk of the pride was far east into their territory near the Borehole.
• The mating pair were seen once more on the 28th, on the eastern bank of Kikilezihash Crossing.
• On the 30th, a single lioness was mating with an Ndhzenga male north of Mlowathi Pans. 
  

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