Coalitions of Kruger National Park

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The wind of change that is seizing the Kruger National Park - A general update about the male lion dynamics 

With the death of the last Avoca/Giraffe male - although already known for longer, now finally officially stated by Tintswalo - we would like to take the opportunity for a general update on the male lion population of the Kruger Park that is currently experiencing a change. Over the last years published sightings revealed more or less a stable situation, with certain male lions that appeared regularly again and again in certain regions of the Park, however the last months clearly brought back the essence of the meaning of lion dynamics: a fast-moving process with constant changes. Familiar faces begin to vanish. 

The biggest impact was probably created by the demise of the five Jock male lions that controlled the area around Lower Sabie for many years. In 2019 sightings of them became rarer and rarer. While in November two of them were seen at Lower Sabie, not in the best of condition, only one remained in February 2020, looking battered, old and ill but still with a pride. With sightings of only two males in June, August, October and November 2019 it’s now safe to say that this big and once powerful coalition has left the Kruger National Park. 

For the most of the time the Eastern Bank males were known as a four males strong coalition that dominated vast parts of southern Kruger around Biyamiti and Lukimbi, since 2019 they shifted a bit more west towards Malelane. However judged by sightings since 2019 this coalition is down to 3 males, possibly even 2. The lesser maned one among the four males was spotted with bad injuries back in August 2019, since then the main sightings began to focus more and more to the two big maned males we refer to as #1 and #2. In December 2019 #2 was seen with bad injuries. It’s assumed that these injuries were caused by the four Jock young males. In February this particular male was spotted in very fragile condition, trailing a Mpondo mating pair. Judged by the thin state and the pale skin a survival chance can be considered very low. 

Sadly it seems that also the three Sweni males lost one coalition member over the last months with the male featured in the picture being missed since December. Additional to that, one of the four neighboring Skukuza/Kumana males was just spotted last week with a horribly bent back, clearly badly injured, that forced him to rather crawl than to walk normally. The section Ranger along with a vet assessed the situation with an unknown and not officially published outcome whether a treatment or an euthanasia was the result. 

Moving on the three Thompson males, the former rulers of the Jock concession that is now controlled by the five Mpondo males, vanished almost completely. After the loss of the third male with the hip injury this coalition is now down to one male who recently made a return south of the Jock concession together with the Jock pride. Due to the pressure of the Mpondo males they had left the area to avoid any kind of conflict. 

Taking a look back to the southern section it becomes clear that also the Shishangeni male lions aren’t spared from loss either. Like we stated in our recent post about them this coalition is down to three males after the fourth male, pictured down below, hasn’t been seen for about six months. Additional to that the male with the damaged eye carries a leg injury that limits his mobility. Reply