Coalitions of Kruger National Park

[Potato]

Singita KNP update

Although we have not gone on many game-drives this last month we have still seen our fair share of lions (Singita Kruger National Park has become famous for lions and is fondly referred to as “Lebombo, Land of Lions”). The following groups / prides of lions were seen this last month

• Mountain Pride: The Mountain Pride have a territory that is centred in the central-northern part of the concession. As far as we know there are still twelve members of the Mountain Pride (four adult females, two sub-adult females, one sub-adult male, two older cubs and three new cubs). Most of the sightings that we have had of the Mountain Pride have been while we have been walking, which makes it very difficult to see exactly how many lions are there and which ones. We did have one sighting of the Mountain Pride having a conflict with another pride that we believe could have been the Northern Pride.
• Northern Pride: We have been seeing three adult females and three cubs in the northern part of the concession. We believe that these could be a break-away group from the Northern Pride, which is a pride whose territory just enters into our concession in the far north and we do not often see these lions. These lions were seen feeding on a wildebeest in Cassia Open Area and were seen lying, a few days later, once again with full bellies, in an open sodic area on the north-western border of the concession.
• Southern Pride: The Southern Pride is a large pride whose territory just pushes into our area from the south. The last time we were able to count them there were 17 individuals including a few sub-adult males. They have appeared at Dumbana Pools and on the S41 road (our western boundary) a few times this last month.
• Shishangaan Pride: Shish Pride seem to be splitting and joining quite a bit. We have been seeing three females with four cubs and another two females with three cubs. On one occasion this month we saw three females with five cubs and so we are not certain whether one of the cubs and a female joined up with the other split. We mainly see Shish Pride in the southern part of the concession, near the lodge, along the N’wanetsi River up to Ostrich Fly Camp and to the east of the lodge in the Lebombo hills. They were seen feeding on a wildebeest, along with the Kumana Male close to camp. Toward the end of the month, they were seen feeding on a waterbuck carcass in front of the lodge.
• Mananga Pride: They come in to the concession from the west and seem to like the area around Gudzani Dam. There could be up to six females, with three cubs, in the pride and they are generally seen with Xihamham (one of the Shish Males). We have not seen them frequently this month, although we are expecting to see more of them next month when the water dries up a bit and animals are attracted to Gudzani Dam.
• Shishangaan Males: There are three Shish Males. Xihamham is generally seen with either Mananga Pride or Mountain Pride. The other two brothers were only seen once together this month, besides the sightings we had of a single Shish male. They are getting quite old now and with lots of sub-adult males moving through the area they could get into trouble soon.
• Kumana Male: As far as we know there is only one Kumana Male left. He has been seen a few times in the company of the Shishangaan females and cubs. We have been hearing roaring frequently from the lodge at night.
• Unknown males: One morning we found five unknown sub-adult male lions on the H6 public road, heading towards the concession. We are not sure if these sub-adults belong to the Southern Pride or not.
• Unknown female and cub: One afternoon we found a lioness and a young male cub (+-1-year-old) on the border of South Africa and Mozambique. We are not sure who these lions are. (Maybe the younger Shirombe female who disappeared a few years ago?) The cub was very shy. They had full bellies.
  

Reply