Lions of Timbavati

[Timbavati]

Information by Cathan Moore Bush Manic: Things are certainly starting to heat up in the Central regions of the Timbavati and by that, I’m not just referring to the fast approaching Spring… As blustery August gusted in, no one could’ve ever imagine the shift in lion dynamics that would take place over the next 10 days and since my last update on the movements of the Riverpride and Skorro males, things seemed to have taken an even more interesting turn!

With the Riverpride on the run, testing new waters beyond their stomping grounds, A void has been left in their once safe Eden. This has meant that we’ve seen the Mayambula pride re-emerge from the South-east and brazenly push into the Riverprides territory, meeting up with the still present skorro males who seem content with their recent success. As expected, one Skorro male began mating with a Mayambula lioness as all of their sub-adults born in 2019 had just recently been sent packing by the late Nharhu brother (Xitaya).

Things had just seemed to have settled down when the Riverpride fugitives were found marching back from the north into the heart of their home turf and then proceeded to maintain their southernly movement seeing them disappear over our most southern traversing boundary. The one positive to take from this brief encounter is that all 4 cubs and 1 sub-adult were present, including the injured sister who has recovered remarkably well and keeping up with her family.

Now for the plot twist: aided by the sounds of a bellowing buffalo, I located 7 females from the Mayambula pride along the banks of the machaton. This is by far the furtherest North I’ve seen them trek and with the news of a new pride (8 individuals) up on Simbavati along with the western pride, we could see some conflict as lions pick up on the scent of the dead buffalo and storm in. Additionally, tracks for the Skorro males were identified; hot on the tails of these Mayambula lionesses - we can expect to see them soon emerging at the kill. Reply