Coalitions of Kruger National Park

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Singita KNP update

The Shish Pride have been very present for the past month, with the ten cubs seemingly healthy and happy and well-provided for by their mothers. One of the seven lioness was seen mating with the Trichardt males for a few days, however she has since re-joined the rest of the pride. Mid-way through the month one of the females has been more scarce, seen once alone on Neokeng Ridge, so there is the possibility that one more female may be denning as the majority of more recent sightings of the pride has been five or six females, only seven when in close proximity to Neokeng, Ntsibitsane and Xinenene.


The Trichardt males have also been seen regularly. Interestingly there have been multiple sightings further north close to Three-trees and Ntoma, even as far as Double Crossing, where they had an altercation with the Sweni male, leaving him running for his life as they announced their dominance powerfully from the ridge above Mhlangulene-Central Junction. They left their duties of defence for a Shish female on heat a little closer to home, where they stayed for a few days. The males appeared to enjoy the spoils of a meal shared with the Shish Pride in the valleys of Neokeng and Milkberry where they were seen lounging all together for a few days with full bellies. Soon after, the two males were found on a female giraffe carcass in Gumba drainage, where they stayed and gorged themselves for five days before leaving the vultures to come in and finish off the remains.

The Maputo male has been seen in the far northern reaches of the reserve, but with no sign of his new coalition partner. We cannot disregard the fact that his coalition mate is normally more nervous of our safari vehicles, so he may have been in the vicinity but just keeping a safe distance and out of view.

The Mananga Pride have once again been seen, usually within the north-central and west to Gudzane Dam. Their dynamic seem to still be uncertain and scattered, with different numbers of members seen in each sighting. There have been two sightings of a single female mating with both the older Sweni male and the younger N’wanetsi males respectively. A few members of the broken pride were seen finishing off the remains of a wildebeest carcass under the watchful eye of a few hyenas who happily took over when the lionesses moved off.

The Nwanetsi coalition and much older Sweni male have been seen far less this month, with most sightings being of the Sweni male on his own (or in the company of a Mananga lioness), without the younger N’wanetsi males accompanying him. Reply