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Desert Lions
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Can you predict the size of his skull?
Those measurement over the curve about the head length seems to be very problematic, and the smaller lion appears to have very 'large' head, but in fact they don't. Why they can't measure it in conformity like the head measurement in the straight line for the captive tiger specimens?  (08-26-2015, 01:26 AM)Pckts Wrote: Volkel is the longest lion, largest girth, largest head and 2nd tallest at the shoulder. No matter how you want to correlate mass, hes a big lion. Yes, sadly they seems to don't have an available scale until the last two captures. (08-26-2015, 02:22 AM)GrizzlyClaws Wrote: Can you predict the size of his skull? Different people use different methods, despite the fact that they describe to use the same ways in some documents. Check the image of the measured lion, they seems to put the tape at a side of the body, not even in the back. But that is the reality, these measurements are more an educated estimation that a 100% accurate and write-in-stone fact. 
Sad news
From the Desert Lion Conservation Project 13 Jun 2016. Conflict. When the five male lions (the “Musketeers”) moved past the temporary cattle post (12 km west of Tomakas) two days ago a human-lion conflict incident occurred somewhere between the cattle post and Otjizeka spring. The exact details of the incident are still unclear. Deep inside a Salvadora thicket at Otjizeka spring Xpl-89 “Harry” died of a mortal bullet wound to the chest during the early morning hours on 12 Jun 2016. When the remaining four lions were observed at sunset, two of the males showed signs of injuries. Xpl-92 “Adolf” had a new wound on his right cheek and Xpl-91 “Ben” appeared to have a bullet wound. The photos below suggest that he may have been shot in the lower stomach. It would appear that the bullet passed straight through. The Ministry of Environment & Tourism was informed of the developments. The Purros Conservancy, MET, IRDNC, Okahirongo Elephant Lodge and DLP are all working together to defuse the tense situation. Ben appeared to have a bullet wound  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author Adolf with a new wound on his right cheek  *This image is copyright of its original author Harry died of a mortal bullet wound to the chest during the early morning hours on 12 june 2016  *This image is copyright of its original author
From the Desert Lion Conservation Project
14 Jun 2016. Xpl-89 "Harry". Finding the carcass of Xpl-89 inside the Salvadora thickets was challenging and required crawling for approximately 30 metres through the thick undergrowth. An autopsy was performed on the carcass and biological samples were collected. The lion died quickly from a single gunshot to the chest. The bullet passed through the heart and lungs. The remaining four male lions were monitored closely and the bullet wound to Xpl-91 “Ben” does not appear to be serious. Two Okongwe lionesses joined the males during the night and after sunrise they were all observed scaling the tall mountains to the south of the Gomatum valley. Finding the carcass of Hary inside the Salvadora thickets was challenging  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author
From the Desert Lion Conservation Project
15 Jun 2016. Omiriu Cattle Post. During the night the remaining four male lions (the “Musketeers”) continued moving towards Okongwe and they were south of the waterhole this morning. The Desert Lion Project assisted the Ministry of Environment & Tourism with their management and investigation of the incident. After all the biological data and other information were collected the carcass of Xpl-89 was burnt as a safeguard against the growing illegal trade in lion bones. The wounded lion appears to be recovering and he will be kept under observation for the next few days. On the night of 10/11 Jun 2016 the “Five Musketeers” returned to the Gomatum River where they killed a giraffe the previous day and walked past the Omiriu cattle outpost. The lions approached the settlement with large numbers of livestock. One of the lions (presumably Xpl-92 “Adolf”) broke into a corral. Fortunately, due to the disturbance caused by the villagers and their dogs, the lions moved away without killing any livestock. The Ministry of Environment & Tourism are still busy with their investigation, but at some point between Omiriu and Otjizeka spring the villagers exercised their legal right to protect their livelihood by shooting at the lions. © Desert Lion Conservation  *This image is copyright of its original author The carcass of Harry was burnt as a safeguard against the growing illegal trade in lion bones  *This image is copyright of its original author The wounded lion appears to be recovering and he will be kept under observation for the next few days  *This image is copyright of its original author The corral  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author
 
A male of 200 kg and a female of 154 kg and they do not seem to be the largest lions around.
Impressive how lions living in a desert environment with poor prey biomass rival in size lions from the best habitats elsewhere in Africa with much higher prey density. Which again points to the importance of genetic make up versus conditions in relation to size, in other words where conditions are great the lion ( or other big cats ) population thrive as a whole with all lions small and big. Large big cats are reported from many areas with relatively poor prey base : Lions from the Namibian desert, Mount Kenya, and historically the Atlas mountains, tigers from the Amur region and the Caspian region, leopards from Namibia and the central African rainforests, cheetahs from Namibia.
Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp manager Clement Lawrence captured this pensive moment with Tullamore, one of the surviving Musketeers in the area...
To read the latest from the Desert Lion Conservation Project, have a look at Dr Flip Stander's website for daily updates. They're all well and mating with two females if you want the quick news! http://desertlion.info/news.html  *This image is copyright of its original author
From the Desert Lion Conservation Project
17 Jul 2016. Brotherhood. After the fighting and aggression between the coalition of four adult males (the “Musketeers”) over the two Okongwe lionesses they displayed signs of affection that highlights the tight bond between the males. They were observed hunting giraffes at sunrise this morning along the Gomatum valley. © Desert Lion Conservation  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author
From Desert Lion
From the Desert Lion Conservation Project 10 Aug 2016. Tragedy. On 6 Aug 2016 the Ministry of Environment & Tourism approved the translocation of the four “Musketeers” from Tomakas to the Uniab Delta as a last-resort effort to solve the on-going human-lion conflict. Several parties participated with the planning of this operation: an aircraft was secured to transport the lions from Purros to Terrace Bay, vehicles were gathered to take the lions from Tomakas to Purros and finally from Terrace Bay to the Uniab Delta as we waited for the three males to return from the mountains and reconnect with Xpl-93. However, the three males encountered a new and previously unknown cattle post of semi-nomadic pastoralists. The lions killed a donkey and the people (previously from Omiriu and then Ondudupi) retaliated by poisoning the lions. The carcasses and the satellite collars of the lions were then burnt. With this tragic development a difficult decision had to be made about the fate of the lone survivor. With the Ministry of Environment & Tourism we darted Xpl-93, loaded him in the Desert Lion Project Land Cruiser and started the long journey to the Uniab Delta. The convoy of three vehicles struggled through the Floodplain and dunes that were covered in thick fog. We finally reached the mouth of the Uniab River at 05h25 and found a narrow wash with some protection to off-load Xpl-93 (see photos). © Desert Lion Conservation  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author :'( Bad news,Desert Lions on the edge of extinction...
From Desert Lion
From the Desert Lion Conservation Project 11 Aug 2016. Uniab Delta. The last survivor of the “Five Musketeers”, Xpl-93 also known as “Tullamore”, has recovered from the ordeal of translocating him to the Uniab Delta (see photos). The lion was kept sedated for 14.5 hrs and transported in the back of the research vehicle for 279 km from Tomakas to the mouth of the Uniab River. He is currently feeding on an Oryx carcass and his movements will be monitored closely. The Ministry of Environment & Tourism must be commended for their leading role in the operation and thanks also go to Namibia Wildlife Resorts and Wilderness Safaris for their support. The Ministry of Environment & Tourism and the Namibian Police Force have launched a detailed investigation into the killing of the three males (Xpl-90, Xpl-91 & Xpl-92) 12 km north of Tomakas. The developments over the past few days may generate reactions in the published press and on social media. The Desert Lion Project would like to: state that the problems of human-lion conflict are complex and b) call on everyone using the information presented on this website to remain objective. The daily movements of Xpl-93 will now be posted under “Obab Lionesses”. © Desert Lion Conservation  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author
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