Coalitions of Kruger National Park

[Potato]

Singita KNP update

Lion dynamics have been somewhat confusing in the past few months, since the demise of the Shish male by the two Trichardt males, there seems to be a rift that needs filling. The Trichardt males, although most often seen in the southern regions of the reserve have been seen expanding their reach much further north. Often now being seen as far north and west as Gudzane Dam, and actively mating with a few of the Mananga lionesses while in the area.


The Mananga Pride has been seen a handful of times, once being on a giraffe kill on Park Road, in the presence of the remaining Shish male, all feeding together. However, some females have been seen mating with the Trichardt males, and yet the pride as a whole has not been seen in the presence of these males, except for one sighting most recently at the giraffe carcass.

The giraffe carcass attracted a few other male lions, possibly from the N’wanetsi coalition.

The Shishangaan Pride have been setting all their focus on their cubs, of which there are now 15 in total that we know of. Of the seven powerful females, six of them have successfully brought their cubs from the den-sites and they are now mobile and covering more ground with their mothers. However, two of the females, who have had their cubs most recently have been separated often from the rest of the pride as their cubs are much younger and unable to keep up with the movements of the others. But these two females seem to be coping just fine together, having most recently been seen close to the N’wanetsi River with very full bellies and cubs with equally full bellies after suckling.

The Maputo male coalition has been seen in the northern areas several times, once even in the presence of the old Sweni male while feeding on a kill. However, all of these males disappeared from the area when the two Trichardt males appeared and feasted in this area much further north than we have ever seen them.

The same kill attracted a young male lion which had been seen a few times during October, once on a young buffalo kill. There is a possibility that this may be one of the Mananga pride’s young males who is going through a tough time of independence, but it has been difficult to confirm his identification. Reply