Coalitions of Kruger National Park

[Tonpa]

Lions

This month the Concession held its alias, “The Place of Lions” as we have been very privileged to have multiple sightings of prides and coalitions:

• We often had the Mananga Pride come in from our western border and spend some time in the region of Gudzane Dam. It seems like they are extending their territory eastwards, deeper into the Concession. We had sightings of them in the centre of the Concession, where we usually find the Mountain Pride. The pride has split into two groups, 16 members are traveling, and hunting together, these members have slightly older cubs than the other nine members. The nine members do not travel far because their cubs are still too young to go long distances. However, on occasions where the others have made a successful kill, we find them reunited to share their bounty.

• An unknown pride arrived, coming from the north, which consists of several subadult males, an adult male, and a few females. They were seen for the first time this month around Two Pans, and they have made their way all the way south to the norther parts of the Central Depression. At one stage, they were only a few kilometres north of where the Mananga Pride were resting. We saw this pride three times this month before they made their way back to the north.

• The Xirhombe male was seen a couple of times around the Granophyres. He had been vocalizing, and scent marking, which is a clear challenge to the Maputo and Kumana male, as that region is part of the territory that they occupy. We have not seen him thereafter, and we think he might have headed back to the east towards Mozambique for now.

• The Shish Pride, which had frightenedly separated into a few portions since the Maputo male forcefully entered the Concession last year, are comfortably reclaiming their turf, which lies in the southern parts of our Concession. The portion of five has reunited with the portion of two lionesses and cubs spending a lot of time around the Ostrich Link area. We have only seen two of their cubs, and we think the other five might have been killed by other lions or predators that encroached into their territory. One morning we followed the Shishangaan lionesses heading towards the area where the coalition of five males had been seen. The lionesses were followed by the Maputo male, who is one of their current territorial males, but one of the lionesses was seemingly unpleased with him and was growling at him.

• The coalition of five males was seen on a few occasions on the H6 moving eastwards, past the S37 which is territory we know the Kumana and Maputo males still occupy. On a few occasions, we have seen them mating with a lioness from the Shishangaan Pride.

• The Mountain Pride has been seen on several occasions in and around the Lebombo mountain region, which is the territory that has been held by them for several years, hence the pride name. They are always close enough to the Mozambican border, where they escape when the lion dynamics on our Concession begin to tilt. The pride is in great condition and has been seen feeding on many carcasses over the past month. The subadult male who is around four years old now, is towering over the lionesses, and still being tolerated by the rest of the pride.

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