Coalitions of Kruger National Park

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Singita Kruger National Park
KRUGER NATIONAL PARK | SEPTEMBER 2017

Articles by Brian Rode & Margaux Le Roux Photos by Brian Rode, Sean Bissett & Margaux Le Roux
Singita Kruger National Park, South Africa September, 2017


Lions: We have had regular sightings of lions during the month of September. The central area of the Kruger Park, and in particular the Singita Lebombo concession is well-known to have great lion sightings. This last month we had 85 reported sightings of these majestic large cats.

We have not seen much of the larger portion of the Shishangaan Pride this last month. At the beginning of the month we saw them resting just north of the Gumba Drainage. The young white male was with them. While we were watching them we saw a male waterbuck approaching. The antelope was not aware of the lions that were lying flat in the grass and some of the lionesses suddenly became interested. We watched as they started stalking towards the waterbuck, utilizing the bushes and thick grass as cover. The remaining lions all sat up to watch the progress of the hunt. One of the lionesses circled around to the other side of the antelope and two other lionesses headed to the west to block off any escape route. Unfortunately, or fortunately for the waterbuck, the lions were spotted before they could get close enough to launch an attack and the antelope managed to evade the cats. The lions then mock-stalked each other and went back to lie down in the grass. Approximately 800 meters to the north (not visible to the lions) there was a herd of approximately one hundred buffalos that were resting in the grassland, busy ruminating. Shortly after the sun had set the lions woke up and started heading north. They soon realised that there were buffalos ahead of them and the pride then spread out and started stalking the bovids. It was already dark and the guides turned off the spotlights as the lions started to approach the buffalos (if they carried on spotlighting the lions the buffalos would have seen the cats approaching, which would have been unfair for the lions, and if the guides had spotlighted the buffalos it would have temporarily blinded the herbivores, and would thus have been unfair on the buffalos. It is Singita policy not to spotlight hunting predators or their prey at night). The guides then sat in the dark waiting for the sounds of hooves running across the grassland or the death cries of a buffalo, if the lions were successful. The stars were bright in the sky as the guides waited for any sign that the lions were going for the buffalos. In the past, it has sometimes happened that we have seen predators starting to hunt and have therefore turned off the lights and waited only to find that after quite a while, when we turned the lights back on, both the predators and prey had moved off totally and neither were in the area any more. The guides, therefore, sat in the dark wondering whether the lions were still stalking the buffalos or whether the cats had decided not to go for them and had instead circled around carried on walking away from the area. Then suddenly all chaos erupted and the noise of the hooves running through the grass and the bellowing of the buffalos, interspersed with the death cries of an unfortunate individual echoed through the night. The guides immediately turned the spotlights back on and soon found the lions in the process of killing one of the buffalos.  One of the cats had the buffalo by the throat while the others were all over its back. It was not long before the buffalo succumbed and the lions started to feed, arguing amongst each other and jostling for a position around the carcass.

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Two of the Shish Males with two of the cubs from the Smaller Portion of the Shish Pride Photo by Brian Rode

The Smaller Portion of the Shishangaan Pride (3 lionesses with six cubs) have been outside of the concession for the last few months and this last month was no exception. One morning, however, the staff bus driver reported that he had seen lions feeding on a buffalo on the entrance road to the staff quarters. The guides responded to the sighting and when we arrived there we found the lions approximately 50 metres from the road, busy feeding. We could see one lioness, three adult Shish Males and a few cubs feasting on the remains of the buffalo. They had already almost finished the carcass. It was a great sighting.

We have seen the dominant Shishangaan Males fairly regularly this last month. Usually, when we see them, three of the males are together and the fourth is often separate from them, and frequently seen in the company of the Mountain Pride.

The Mountain Pride: presently consist of three adult lionesses and one cub of approximately one-year-old. This pride is often accompanied by one of the Shish Males, and has been seen frequently this last month. On the morning of the 8th the Mountain Pride were located on Leadwood Road, near the Central Depression. They were busy hunting, but were not successful. They then went to Pony Pan, where they were eyeing out the general game that wanted to come down to drink. We headed back there in the afternoon to see if they had managed to catch anything, but the lions were not there. Glass (our Head-tracker) found the tracks of the lions heading in a north-easterly direction away from the pan, towards the ridges. After following the tracks for a while he found the lions on the side of the hill. They were busy feeding on something in the long grass. When we brought the vehicle closer we saw that it appeared that they had caught and were feeding on an adult bushpig. Bushpigs are very seldom seen in the Lebombo Concession. The next day we found the Mountain Pride following a herd of buffalos near the Sticky Thorn thickets. They were accompanied by the Shish Male. The buffalos were headed towards the western border of the concession. The lions did not seem committed to the hunt and soon disappeared into the thickets, where we assume they rested for the rest of the day. On the morning of the 18th we found the Mountain Pride in an open area to the east of Gudzani Dam. They were obviously waiting for animals to come down to the water to drink. Unfortunately, the young cub was far too enthusiastic and started moving towards the herd of zebras that were following the game path past where the lionesses were hiding. The cub obviously has not yet learned about using cover when hunting and she strolled right out into the open area, giving away the location of the lions!

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Mountain Pride lioness and cub. Photo by Brian Rode

Xhirombe Pride We have also seen the Xhirombe Pride on a handful of occasions this month. At the moment this pride consists of only one female and her son (the Xhirombe Male). We have not seen his sister for quite few months now and are not sure if she is still alive or whether she is hiding out in the hills where she might have new cubs. The two remaining Xhirombe members are generally active in the hills close to the border of Mozambique, although this month we have seen them a few times just north of camp, nearby the N’wanetsi River. The name of this Pride comes from Shangaan name for a tree (Large-leaf Rock Fig – Ficus abutifolia), that grows on the rocky cliffs and in the hills. This pride was given this name because they tend to favour the hilly habitats on the south-eastern side of the concession. One evening a few of the guides had stopped for sundowners at the Poort (we were all driving a large group of guests that had booked out the entire Lebombo Lodge). The sundowner spot that we refer to as “the Poort” is right at the top of the cliffs overlooking the N’wanetsi, where the river exits South Africa and flows into Mozambique. It is a place of particular beauty and a great place to watch the sun setting over Kruger Park. While we were having drinks and snacks with the guests at the top of the ridge, Lawrence (one of our trackers), saw some movement in the gorge below us. Looking through binoculars, we could see that it was the two members of the Xhirombe Pride. It was an unbelievable spot by Lawrence. Even with binoculars it was difficult to see them.

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The Xhirombe Male Photo by Brian Rode

The Southern Pride is a pride that we do not see very often. Their territory is mainly to the south of our concession and it is only when they go to the far northern area of their territory that we have a chance of finding them. Since we do not see them very often we do not know the exact composition of the pride. This month we saw the Southern Pride on at least three different occasions. On the morning of the 7th of September we saw them and one of the Southern Males on the H6 road, not far from camp. We counted ten lions (including the male). They were busy stalking giraffes, but were not successful. On the morning of the 10th some of the staff were at the main area of Lebombo Lodge when they saw movement on the ridge between the Villa and the Boutique & Gallery. They soon realised that it was a pride of lions that were resting in the camp. There were at least six lions resting on the rocks (including a large male). It was the Southern Pride. They remained in the camp for the rest of the day and when the sun set in the late afternoon they got up and headed west, out of the concession. Reply