The Matimba coalition

[Mapokser]

(11-17-2022, 06:30 PM)Potato Wrote:

(11-17-2022, 07:54 AM)Mapokser Wrote: and their pictures and videos from 2011 clearly show that they couldn't be as young as 4, plus, their behavior, would 4yo males get in long clashes, chases, chasings and even brutal fights against fully-developed males such as Mapogos and Majingilanes?

Look at the examples of Charleston males, Mbiris, Othawa male or now Mayambula males. Not every male develop in the same way. Some are more impressive than the others because of different (better) genes and/or food access therefore judging age of the males purely by their appearance can be missleading. You say Matimbas must have been older than 4 years old in 2011 because they were already territorial and had nice developed manes. You should check how Mayambula males look like now, having 4 years and also being territorial. 

These are good points and it's definitely true that some males develop faster both physically and physiologically, but I raised other points too and think the overall argument is still quite solid.

Also if born in 2007, they could still ( or was likely stilll ) 3 in 2010 when they became dominant, no? Which is even more remarkable. As for being 4 in mid-2011 and acting territorial, my point was not only that they couldn't be, it's not that usunual for 4yo lions to act territorial, but sure is very rare for 4yo to clash and engage fully-developed dominant males if they don't have have a good advantage in numbers, which adds to my feel that they must have been 5 at that moment. Reply