Lions of Timbavati

[Potato]

(09-09-2017, 01:25 AM)Fredymrt Wrote: From Tony  Coetzee


The Black Dam Male
Photo by Riaan taken in 2013

*This image is copyright of its original author

Growing up! The male cub from the Black-Dam Pride has grown into a very handsome young lion, and is now displaying behaviour more characteristic of adult lions (such as the flehmen response seen here).


The Black Dam Male
Pushing towards 8 years now. Born January 2010

*This image is copyright of its original author

"We started the fence removal between Thornybush and the APNR in February this year. After a short delay this 21km boundary is now down completely. Noticeable was how quickly the lions discovered this and the movement was instant. The Mapoza males came in and the battle was on, but within a few weeks things settled with the Black Dam male successfully retaining his territory as a single male.

The Giraffe pride made a couple of very brief appearances, but very short and mostly the guides only saw their tracks entering an leaving, apart from the 1st visit which lasted nearly 3 days.
Next was pressure from the east and the Ross males made a brief appearance, but again the Black dam male held them off and this single male might be boxed in a bit, but no other coalition has been in or after him for months now. One of the giraffe males were in quickly and took over the southern pride on Thornybush. After killing one lioness and one litter of cubs things quickly settled, but he has been pushed way down south by the Black Dam male. It might be added that he has now sired at least 3 new litters, all between 2-4 weeks old and we have not seen them yet.
Yet what was expected to be a quick take over has not happened. actually the opposite and it seems like the Balck Dam male has made himself known as a true beast...which he is. Things are thus pretty much unchanged and the only pride that occasionally pushes in seems to be the Avoca pride (or part of them) usually only when they follow buffalo across, make a quick kill and usually within a day they will be back east."

Hope the update is useful...will keep things updated. Would be great to know if any foreseen coalitions are making there way out of their prides any time soon.......

*This image is copyright of its original author

Liam Rainier Bush Exposure The Black Dam male lion, keeping these youngsters safe from the Giraffe male who took over the southern pride of females except for this lioness who has separated and moved further north in an attempt to save her cubs. So far so good


From: Tony Coetzee

"One of the main draw cards was our unattended Black Dam Pride...consisting of 7 lionesses with 5 young females coming into estrus. This was far too attractive for the Giraffe male and he came under the fence long before we had it down in that area. One resisted him and he took her out, one tried to resist him, but he killed her cubs and badly injured her, but then mated with him soon enough. There is still one lioness with cubs that has managed to escape the Giraffe male and she is in a vacuum just too close to the Black Dam male, which is keeping her and the cubs safe with some protection form the Black dam male, although he is not with her often it seems to be giving her the freedom and confidence to hunt and provide for the cubs."

From :
Marguerite Brunsdon
"The beautiful story playing out now comes from a pride of lions found by Wilson in Nov 1991 When he found the first Black Dam Lioness Name Six’s. For referral she is now called Black Dam Matriarch Number 1- They are now the southern pride, although originally from Eastern Boundary of Thornybush Game Reserve She charged Wilson that made Wilson feel a special affinity with her

The lioness that escaped the Giraffe male is called Nwana wa Vusopfa which means the Prodigal daughter... She is doing pretty well with her cubs right now."

Refreshment of the Black Dam male story. Black Dam male is  also quite close (Kambaku lodge) to young  RP males and soon may be pressured by them. Reply