Lions of Timbavati

[Potato]

Tanda Tula update

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

The lions kick started our week with two pairs of mating Skorro males and Mayambula lionesses, but they then disappeared, and with the River Pride having moved west into Klaserie, we had two lionless days.  After tracking the Skorro males east towards Kruger, and the limping Nharhu male north, on our concession on two successive drives we finally managed to find them again.


Glen and I went out after breakfast to see if we could break the drought, Glen’s skills and persistence led to us to the River Pride near Nkhari Homestead, all looking in good shape.  A couple of days later this pride was found feasting on a wildebeest kill to further enhance their condition.  We had been tracking the Mayambula Pride that same day, and Glen did manage to track down some of the members of the pride in the east.  When I woke up the next morning with the death bellows of a buffalo emanating from north of Tanda Tula Safari Camp, I was very uncertain as to which lions were killing the buffalo!

Heading out I soon found tracks of two male lions in the area and with a little bit of tracking, and the assistance of a colleague, we found the seven Mayambula pride members, as well as the two Skorro male lions on a fresh buffalo bull kill.  The pride made quick work of the meal and were finished the carcass in a little over 24 hours!  There were reports of the five Vuyela males and four of the Sark Breakaway females just to the west of our concession, and we could actually hear them roaring whilst watching the Mayambula Pride on their kill – it will be interesting to see if they do decide to remain in the west, or push further east.  What the position of these lions does mean is that the River Pride seemed to be getting squeezed into an ever decreasing amount of safe space and if these pressures continue, the lionesses may opt to move out of the area.

*This image is copyright of its original author

Great to see that in the end all 4 Sark breakaway females are still around and seem to be settling down with a Vuela coalition. That however is placing River pride in very akward situation. I would not be suprised if the wil soon decide to move further north, same way not long ago Dundee male with Balule females went. Reply