There is a world somewhere between reality and fiction. Although ignored by many, it is very real and so are those living in it. This forum is about the natural world. Here, wild animals will be heard and respected. The forum offers a glimpse into an unknown world as well as a room with a view on the present and the future. Anyone able to speak on behalf of those living in the emerald forest and the deep blue sea is invited to join.
(04-08-2024, 08:12 PM)BA0701 Wrote: Really cool interaction between Casper and some of his Satara cubs and their mother. I think "attacks" is a little strong, but Casper is mating with another Satara lioness, when the mother of his cubs, with the cubs in tow, approaches them. Casper receives the cubs surprisingly well, given he is literally in the middle of a mating session, but their mother walks behind Casper, so he chases her away. I wonder, with his brother's very poor condition, if Casper might be becoming the dominant male.
This channel has a rather annoying tendency to exaggerate/sensationalize events surrounding Casper. Like when he's likely away on patrol, the channel would title the video as "Casper's missing?!" or something to that effect.
04-09-2024, 01:49 AM( This post was last modified: 04-09-2024, 01:56 AM by BA0701 )
(04-09-2024, 01:23 AM)Rabubi Wrote:
(04-08-2024, 08:12 PM)BA0701 Wrote: Really cool interaction between Casper and some of his Satara cubs and their mother. I think "attacks" is a little strong, but Casper is mating with another Satara lioness, when the mother of his cubs, with the cubs in tow, approaches them. Casper receives the cubs surprisingly well, given he is literally in the middle of a mating session, but their mother walks behind Casper, so he chases her away. I wonder, with his brother's very poor condition, if Casper might be becoming the dominant male.
This channel has a rather annoying tendency to exaggerate/sensationalize events surrounding Casper. Like when he's likely away on patrol, the channel would title the video as "Casper's missing?!" or something to that effect.
Agreed, that is why I said it like that. Sensationalizing for clicks I suppose. For me, I will accept the sensationalizing, as he gets some really good and unique footage, just so long as he doesn't interfere with the wildlife anymore (moving dead lion's bodies).
No heard before 2 split and were collared. Not sure how many are left maybe 5 in this group pictured here and others not sure how many are alive area had alot of poaching/poisonings.
(04-09-2024, 09:50 PM)Tr1x24 Wrote: Trichardt male calling for his brother who apperantly was not seen for 2 weeks:
Yeah I seen he hasn't been seen. 2 weeks isn't really long unless they only have this pride?Pride? Do they have Shish pride and Mananga? Or just 1 pride? Maybe he's out dating a lioness? Its the more impressive male too I believe.
The first half of the month saw the Shish Pride spending most of their time west of our concession, enjoying the plethora of zebra, wildebeest and waterbuck on the basalt plains, with multiple sightings of them on the H6. However, with the mid-month rains, the Shish Pride returned to hunt in the open areas near where the Ntsimbitsane drainage meets the N’wanetsi River. All 14 cubs are healthy and growing bigger every day.
Two cubs from the Mananga Pride were seen once early this month moving west into the stickythorns with one of the females and sub-adults. Thereafter only small portions of the pride adults were seen, mostly along the S41 between the N’wanetsi River and Mananga trails. We believe they had moved the den-site to the west of our concession somewhere south of the S100 and west of S41. At the end of the month however, seven cubs were seen at stickythorn quarry and the next morning they were back at the original den we found them at almost a month ago, in the stickythorns in the centre of our concession, with three nursing females. It appears as though two of the original nine cubs might have not survived, but this is still to be confirmed. It is a harsh reality with lions though. Being so small and defenceless means that infant mortality is high amongst this top predator.
The “outcasts” from the Mananga Pride, the four young sub-adults who chose to save themselves from potential injury and death when they fled from the pride as the Trichardt males started taking over last year, have been seen on a few occasions this month, but never together. The youngest female has been hanging around the central depression and west from there. Her sister was seen chasing a wildebeest in the same area but sadly appeared to have been injured from not only the wildebeest but we suspect, also another predator, whether it was hyenas or lions is hard to tell, but her back and legs were severely scratched.
The Trichardt males were seen with a few Mananga lionesses near the beginning of the month feeding on a waterbuck carcass on the S41 just north of the Gudzane drainage before moving back west out of our concession. Two weeks later they reappeared at the most northern edge of our concession and were seen mating with a lioness. A few days later they trekked all the way south to check in on the Shish Pride and their cubs. The Maputo male and Xai-Xai have also been seen mating with a single lioness in the northern regions of the concession.
With the Mananga Pride spending more time south of the Gudzane Dam, an unnamed pride of at least six females has been seen recurrently northwest of the dam and on the S41 near Mananga Trails. The younger members appear to be rather nervous around vehicles compared to the older females.
At the end of the month, we were treated to a great interaction between these six females, Xai-Xai and Maputo trying to keep hyenas away from their zebra carcass. Leopards
Coalitions of Kruger National Park
