The Matimba coalition

[Cath2020]

(08-04-2020, 08:26 PM)Tr1x24 Wrote:

(08-04-2020, 07:33 PM)Cath2020 Wrote: Maybe Aunty Othawa distracted them a bit.... After all, she has her sub-adult son to protect and the 3 others from her niece Sassy.  

Wily HB can handle himself I think.  He seems to play the disappearing act well and makes an appearance later on when he's good and ready.  He hasn't made it to 15 years of age for nothing.  I hope only old age will take him out.  That sly one won't be so easy to handle as the males may assume.  I'm more worried about the teenagers in the pride, if anything.  If the nomadic males get a hold of them......

Its not the Junior mother, its the other infertile lioness. 

Youngsters are getting at the point where they actively participate in hunts, and in potential takeover they will run away with Junior. 3 youngsters are almost big as their mother, in few months they will be capable on surviving on their own pretty much, with Junior, so no fear for them.

That's good to know that it's confirmed that the infertile lioness is with them.  As far as for the youngsters, we don't know about their future yet.  They say that the nomadic stage for a male lion is one of the most precarious of his life....  Many don't make it and just as many are not so successful at siring lots of cubs and having prides for very long.  The hardest part of a male lion's life begins after 2-3 years of age.  He's easily driven away and injured by older, stronger males.  The female won't have it any easier if she's also driven away during a take-over, which she will be most likely if it occurs before she's mature enough to mate.   I think lions do much better if they're chased away closer to age 3 than 2.... Junior is barely 2 years and 5 months now and the youngsters aren't even 2.... But yea, I get that with Junior they'll survive better than without him.  It would be preferable though, if one of the older females go with them.  

Let's hope that won't happen anytime soon.  Give them just another year at least.  Would be better. Reply