The Birmingham Males

[Potato]

2020:

August:
Of the 18 sightings of these males they were only seen together on six occasions. On the 9th both males were seen but in two different sightings, one male was on the old airstrip while the other was at Sand Pit Crossing. On the 13th, 14th and 15th both males were seen together with two sub adults and the three yearling cubs at Flockfield Boma Crossing. It was during this time that one of the year-old cubs died. On the 16th and 17th, the two males where still together and were seen with members of the Kambula pride at the causeway and in front of Rattray’s Camp on the two respective days. The bulk of the pride were together and the last time the two males were seen together for the month was on the 19th at the causeway. One of the males was seen mating with a lioness from the Kambula pride on the 20th near the airstrip. On the 22nd one of the males was seen with the bulk of the Kambula pride at Mlowathi pans while the other male was with the remaining member of the pride at confluence crossing. The lions that were seen at Mlowathi pans moved far south overnight and where found with a young giraffe kill near the borehole in eastern Flockfield the following day. This kill lasted them three days. On the 25th this male and the member of the Kambula pride that he been with at the Giraffe kill had moved north to Styx Crossing. The following day both males were seen, one alone at Mlowathi Koppies while the other was with member of the Kambula pride at West Street. The last sighting of these males was on the 28th when both males where seen, one at the Kapen Breakfast Spot while the other was at Drum Crossing.

September:
The two Gowrie males were seen together in 13 of the 25 sightings and with members of the Kambula pride in 17 of the 25 sightings. Only on 7 occasions was one of the males alone. With the coalition down to two from the five males that first took over territory on MalaMala they are not the presence they once were. Although still the dominant coalition on MalaMala there are several young males starting to encroach on their territory. What these two males may lack in young enthusiasm and energy they make up for in experience and with many cubs still at a vulnerable age in the territory, something to fight for. The next several months are going to be very interesting in the dynamics of the male coalitions of MalaMala.


October:
The two Gowrie males spent much of their time apart this month with them seen together in only five of the 17 sightings. Time spent apart is likely a result of the two males having to cover their territory extensively with young males starting to encroach. Although not seen together much one or both males were seen with members of the Kambula pride in 11 of the 17 sightings. The majority of sightings were along the Sand River near West Street crossing and near the airstrip. A noteworthy sighting was on the 17th when one of the males was with the bulk of the Kambula pride around the northern parts of Paradise valley with a buffalo bull kill.

November:
In 20 of the 24 sightings, one or both of the Gowrie males was with members of the Kambula pride. On nine occasions both males were seen together and with the company of members of the Kambula pride. On only four occasions was a male seen alone. As was the case with the Kambula pride, these two males have shifted the range slightly favouring the western bank of the Sand River. The furthest east a male was seen was a Styx crossing. This male was moving west, indicating he'd been in the eastern parts of their territory more than likely maintain a presence in Eastern Flockfield. Both males were seen mating with lionesses from the Kambula pride.

December:
The two Gowrie males were seen together in 14 of the 21 sightings of this coalition. Out of the 14 sightings of them together, only three were in the company of the Kambula pride. The majority of the sightings were on the Sand River's western bank, particularly around the Airstrip. Notable events were; one of the males was with three lionesses, and the two youngest cubs on a kudu bull kill in the Hogvaal Donga just west of the KNP boundary on the 5th. Both males were with the full complement of the Kambula pride on a giraffe kill just south of Vulture Waterhole on the 13th. The two males killed a wildebeest calf on the 24th near the Airstrip. Reply