The Mighty Mapogos

[Lipstick2]

(10-29-2023, 08:57 AM)KM600 Wrote: Makhulu has to have one of the most impressive manes I’ve ever seen, not only because of the length with it covering part of his back, but the darkness too. The only other non-related lions I can think of with similar manes are prolly the Crater males.

Look around Masai Mara's and Serengeti's males or most of the Southern Kruger's males so we don't go that far from SS...there are/were plenty of male lions with such these conditions or with even far more impressive manes not only from the Crater. My favourite examples were the Notches or the 4'km males - close to the Mapogo's generations - from MM and they have had faaar longer manes than Makhulu had (let's compare him with Notch2 or Lipstick). 
Makhulu was indeed a quite impressive male, but at most only at the 'local level' as on "international level" he never was an outstanding male, he just exceed among his brothers with his permanent maturity, size and mane and with his conductance/ability to lead and dominating over a large and aggressive coalition and maybe exceed among the males around SS at the time, but for example the Majingi's Othawa son Nguvu also was a far more impressive male from an ex-Mapogo pride (furthermore he was a Mapogo grandson from mother's side). 
Especially compared to Mt.T's always small and immatured mohawk mane who never was a role model for a male lion with this appearance his excellence is indeed quiet noticable.
 
It's not a surprise as their fathers the WSM's also weren't so impressive males but they were a far more successful coalition in siring and bringing up their descendants than their Mapogo sons. Their half-brothers the Rollercoaster males also did not have that typical large manes. 

Finally let's look around at closer areas as well as Timbavati with the Old Skybeds (Matimbas and Skybeds) or the Southern Kruger regions. I think the Old Gomondwanes' (especially by the Shisgangenis), the Old Mazithis' and Old Jocks' bloodlines all resulted more developed maned males from there. Although i have to add that this is more my own opinion probably, because people's judgment about male lions' manes could be go into so subjective. Personally i could never look at the Mapogos as a so impressive and well-developed maned male lions, neither the Majingilanes and nor the Selatis from the time at SS. Probably the Split Rock Males were still the best before them. I think most of the highly good-looking males with well-developed manes are came into SS right after the Mapogo's era by the Matimbas, BB's and Mantimahles. In addition luckily they brought some fresher genes into SS after the overused and finally got tired WSM's bloodline by the Mapogos, Rollercoasters, Golfcourses, Selatis etc which would have slowly carried the risk of inbreeding in the area. Reply