Lions of Timbavati

[Fredymrt]

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

Photos and info by Karl van der westhuizen

"This is about 3 days overdue from my side, but finally I've found the time. The Machaton males are 4! The first pic is of the 3 leg male. He arrived here with the injured back left leg, and I have it on good record that he's been coming with this injury since they left the Timbavati in 2015.
The second male is also scarred up and has a big lump on his front right leg, as for the other two males, you can see the difference in scars on their faces.
The fact that they are 4 and not the 3 that we thought, is good reason that they have the Mohlabetsi males running scared.
After doing a head count on the males over the last week, everyone has been accounted for except Blondie. A badly decomposed carcass of a male Lion was found in the South West of our section, and the tracks told of a big fight. We can only then assume that it's in all likelihood that sadly Blondie was the victim.
3 of the River pride cubs were walking with the Mohlabetsi males, but have returned to mom. We saw them yesterday on a Buffalo kill on the river lodge side, looking a little worse for wear. It's been a tough time for them over the last while, but they're all still alive which is important, and will probably get a bit more food with mom than with their hungry older siblings in the Mohlabetsi coalition.
Only time will tell the outcome of the Lion dynamics on the reserve at the moment.
As for the Kudyela/Takazile pride, they were seen this morning on Rome 2, where they'd tree'd a male Leopard. They seem to just be moving around avoiding conflict and staying out of trouble." Reply