Coalitions of Kruger National Park

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Singita KNP update

• Lion sightings have been very good. The Shishangaan pride has been seen around the lodge a couple of times and their movement has mainly been between the lodge and Dumbana pools. They are mostly looking healthy, so they have obviously been successful on their hunts. On the other hand, the Shish pride dominant male, the Kumana male, is not looking good and we really are hoping that he can stay around for longer because the cubs are still too young to defend themselves or run away from danger at the moment. Shish pride has nine cubs that they need to protect and if we have any change of males at this time their chance of surviving is very limited. The Kumana male has, however, been roaring a lot around the camp at night as he proclaims his territory and we have seen his footprints, from where he was walking through the camp, on quite a few mornings as we have headed up from the N’wanetsi staff quarters towards the lodge. The oldest Shish female was seen on one or two occasions this month, although she is looking very thin.
• The Mountain pride lions with young cubs reunited with the rest of the family this month, which puts their number at twelve now. This family is doing well and we were lucky enough to see them feeding on a buffalo. They do most of their hunting along the Xinkelengane drainage-line and east, on the Lebombo mountains.
• We have not had many sightings of the Mananga pride this month. One lactating lioness was seen crossing our western boundary contact calling and heading towards Gudzani Dam while the rest of the family was seen waiting under a tree, resting in the shade, while a large male leopard was feeding on a waterbuck carcass high in the branches above them. Towards the end of the month eight of the Mananga lionesses and three cubs were seen near Gudzani Dam.
• The three dominant Shish Males are still well and healthy and were seen on a few occasions this month. The biggest of the three is often seen with either the Mountain pride or Mananga pride. The other two brothers are usually seen together.
• We were lucky enough to see four of the sub-adult Shish male lions (including the famous white lion) in the concession on two occasions this last month. Jemma has described one of these sightings in a story below.
• Southern pride, now consisting of seventeen individuals, were seen in the concession on two occasions in June. It is always an incredible sight to see this many lions together.
  

There is link for story of young Shish males hunting porcupine:
https://singita.com/wp-content/uploads/2...e_2020.pdf Reply