The Matimba coalition

[Herekitty]

Unfortunately all of the Tintswalo Ranger's reports between November 2013 and July 2016 were deleted when they set up their new website, which is a shame because they appear to be the sole  source of information for the Mbiri pride in those years. So what I've found is this. In July 2012 six Matimba males arrived in Tintswalo and killed some of the cubs they sired with the Mbiri females the year before, leaving only two male cubs alive. Around December 2013 six more Mbiri/Matimba cubs were born, 3 males and 3 females. In March 2016 Tintswalo reported that the two older Mbiri males were spotted in their reserve for the first time since September 2015. Shortly afterwards they headed back into KNP. Here are the two older males in late August 2015 just before leaving their mother pride and nearing 4 years of age. Credit: images by Darren Donovon, posted August 28, 2015.

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

So  two separate sets of males fathered by the Matimbas were discharged from the pride; the two born in 2011 moved off in September 2015; while the three males born in 2013 became exiled in July 2016 with the arrival of the Thanda Impi males. One of them subsequently died. Early photos of the 2013 males also appear to match whisker markings of the Tanda Tula Mbiri males, which confirms that these two Mbiris were born in 2013:

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

This confirms what @Legendary stated. As such, I must apologise for showing my ignorance and contradicting him without investigating the facts. Further to this I found this post from Fredymrt from last year in the Lions of Timbavati thread:

A few months back the last remaining Mbiri male formed a coalition with an unknown male at Talamati area! The Mbiri males were originally a coalition of 2 males but one of the males disappeared in 2015. (His brother is missing and presumed dead. not 100% on that.) The Mbiri males were fathered by the Matimbas and they come from the Mbiri pride.

Mbiri Male Photo Credits:Sandra Willis Claassen

*This image is copyright of its original author

Mbiri male & unknown male

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

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