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Lion Directory
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MANGHENI PRIDE ID ( LONDOLOZI BLOG )MHANGENI PRIDE 2017- TAKEN OVER IN 2013
4 Adult Lionesses- [ Daughters of Mopagos( b.2009) ] 12 cubs[ 9m 3f] sired by Majis or Matimbas(b May/August/September 2016)  *This image is copyright of its original author FEMALE 1 -This female is identified by 2 large spots on the right side of her face.  *This image is copyright of its original author FEMALE 2 -This female has 3 smaller spots shaped almost like an open triangle. The longest side of the triangle faces the nose.  *This image is copyright of its original author Female Three: This female also has a trangle shaped 3 spots.  *This image is copyright of its original author FEMALE FOUR -This female (my favourite) has a very distinctive scar on her right eye.
STYX PRIDE- BIRMINGHAMS TOOK OVER AUG/SEP 2015 FROM SOUTHERN MATIMBAS-Birminghams killed 1 lioness and 3 cubs when they took over the pride from the Matimbas
FEMALE-b 2003 -2 cubs (b. 10/16)  *This image is copyright of its original author Oldest Lioness: The oldest lioness in the Styx Pride ( ON THE RIGHT ) and quite recognizable because of it. She is quite bedraggled looking and is missing her bottom right canine  *This image is copyright of its original author ADULT FEMALE b - 2008  *This image is copyright of its original author FEMALE ( MAJINGILANE OFFSPRING )-b 2011- 4 CUBS (b 2/17)
I am posting the sequence of Mala Mala reports on How Avocas took over Kambula/Ntsevu Pride From Matshapiris
May 20th. 3 lion sightings: early morning audio of lions roaring south of Rattray's Camp was soon followed by audio of lions fighting. We first found the fuller maned Matshapiri male steadily moving northwards through the Tamboti Thickets. Not too far behind him were 2 unidentified younger male lions- one of which had bite marks on his hind legs. They would roar- then the Matshapiri male would stop, turn around and roar back before moving north again. 2 lionesses from the Kambula pride also appeared on the scene and they had clearly been feeding off a kill. One of the lionesses ran off but the other approached the new males- the same lioness who lured the Matshapiri males away during their altercation with the Clarendon males some months back. She then proceeded to 'mate' with the young males as she had done with Matshapiri Males. May 21st. 3 lion sightings: the 2 young unidentified male lions are still with the lioness from the Kambula pride north of Karen Open Area. The fuller maned Matshapiri male and the other 5 lionesses from the Kambula pride are in the Sand River near Maxim's Lookout. May 22nd. 3 lion sightings: the 2 young unidentified males are still with one of the Kambula lionesses and they have moved even deeper into Matshapiri male territory- they were found along the Sand River just south of Main Camp close to where the Kikilezi female's body was. The 2 Matshapiri males have reunited and are not far away- they are in the Sand River east of our airstrip. It will be interesting to see how the less dominant Matshapiri male's back leg injury will affect this standoff. May 23rd: The fuller maned Matshapiri male was found at Matumi Rocks this morning and he was left this evening moving south along the Sand River in front of Main Camp. May 26th: A few of the lionesses began to curiously inspect a nearby bush and it became clear that at least one of the lionesses had given birth! We caught a brief glimpse of a lioness carrying one of her cubs in her mouth- they are probably only a day old.During the afternoon the 6th lioness along with the 2 unidentified young males were spotted not too far away. May 27th: The 2 young males are still with one of the Kambula lionesses and they spent the day along our airstrip- both males are still limping. The fuller maned Matshapiri male was found in the Sand River near Elephant Rock- he seems to be healing from his recent injuries. May 28th. 4 lion sightings: The 2 Matshapiri males have reunited and the were seen in the Sand River near Elephant Rock. May 29th. 5 of the lionesses from the Kambula pride were found west of West Street Bridge. Both Matshapiri males were seen together south of Stwise. May 30th: 3 lion sightings: the two males (Avoca) that have been with a Kambula lioness recently were found north of West Street Bridge. The Kambula lioness who has recently given birth was north of Rattray's Camp- fresh scars on her face and the proximity of the 2 young males to her den-site lead us to believe that they had an altercation of sorts. June 1st: As we enter our winter months we ponder, with excitement, what lies ahead. Especially with regard to the dynamics within our lion population. The Matshapiri males are on the ropes, will they bounce back or will the young, opportunistic Avoca males rise to the occasion? What will happen to the Kambula lionesses' cubs? The Mantimahle males have shown interest in the central and southern parts of our property in which the Fourways and Eyrefield prides roam- they've already killed a cub of the latter. The Clarendon males have also seemingly vanished which leaves the Marthly pride exposed. For our lions, could uncertainty, discomfort and fear be compasses for growth? One thing is for certain... when nothing is sure, anything is possible.The lioness from the Kambula pride who recently gave birth was seen in the vicinity of her den-site south of West Street Bridge. June 2nd: The 2 young 'Avoca' males were found just south of Main Camp and this time they were without the lioness from the Kambula pride. June 5th: The 2 young 'Avoca' males moved southwards in the Sand River from Main Camp towards Maxim's Lookout. June 6th: All the while we could still hear lions roaring back and forth from 2 different locations. The 2 young 'Avoca' males were seen moving south towards our airstrip. The other audio was emanating from the northwestern reaches of our reserve. As we followed up we discovered the full compliment of the Kambula pride and the fuller maned Matshapiri male. June10: The two young Avoca males spent the day near Maxim's Lookout. June11th: The injured Matshapiri male was viewed on 2 days, the second of which saw him waiting at the base of a tree with the Piccadilly female leopard and an impala kill in it. As we watched him waiting for scraps to fall down it was impossible to think anything other than that he is living on borrowed time. June 14th: The 2 young 'Avoca' male lions where seen north of Styx Waterhole. June 15th: the 2 'Avoca' males were seen at Charleston North Crossing and they were in the company of the younger Eyrefield lioness. June 16th: Some good news today for lion lovers... the injured Matshapiri male has covered a surprising amount of ground from we we last saw him. He was at Buffalo Bush Dam, well fed and still crunching down on the remains of an impala. We can't say for certain weather he somehow managed to kill it himself or if he stole the kill but the Emsagweni female leopard was viewed nearby. June 18th: One of the young 'Avoca' males was seen in the company of a lioness from the Kambula pride west of our airstrip. It wasn't long into our afternoon drive before we found the other young 'Avoca' male and he too was with a Kambula lioness, at West Street Pans. June 20th.The 2 young 'Avoca' males were also viewed separately, west of our airstrip - both had a different Kambula lioness for company. June 21st: A single lioness from the Kambula pride was found at West Street Bridge- she is lactating. June 23rd. 3 lion sightings: 4 lionesses from the Kambula pride and the fuller-maned Matshapiri male were found across the Sand River from Main Camp this morning. They spent most of the day in front of Room 1 with one of the lionesses moving away eastwards at midday. The remaining 4 lions treated us to a fantastic sighting when they got active during the afternoon. We had front row seats as they crossed the river and then immediately started hunting waterbuck. June 24th: the 2 young 'Avoca' males were spotted in the Tamboti Thickets- both were extremely well fed. June 25th: The sound of lions roaring thundered through the blanket of mist. It was coming from 3 different locations and upon following up on the closest audio we discovered a young 'Avoca' male, walking at a brisk pace south of our airstrip. He crossed the Sand River eastwards and then met up with the other 'Avoca' male. They were on a mission and started jogging northwards. We followed them for some distance before losing visual. Whilst trying to relocate the coalition we happened upon 2 leopards being harassed by hyenas near Campbell Koppies! It was the Senegal Bush male and the Piccadilly female. We viewed them mate several times as they moved through the koppies. Things got even more interesting when they noticed something to their south- a Matshapiri male lion. Their 'shock' was short-lived as it was the injured male- in a show of what could be perceived as arrogance, the leopards just strolled past him. The lion is in very bad shape and the mating pair deemed him not to be a threat as they carried on their way. The other Matshapiri male lion was seen soon after in front of Main Camp. The 2 young 'Avoca' males were seen again this evening and they were moving north towards the area of the Matshapiri males. As I type this update I can hear lions fighting and roaring east of Main Camp. June 26th. Following on from our last post... We were abruptly awoken just before 5am by the deafening roars of lions in front of Main Camp. By the time we left camp it appeared that the chaos from the night before had subsided. An eery silence fell over the land as the dawn was heralded by the descent of a still chillness. More alarm calls followed soon- this time it was impalas near our airstrip. As we followed up we came across the 2 Avoca males and 2 lionesses from the Kambula pride, walking westwards at a brisk pace. By the looks of it these lions had not taken part in the overnight brawl as they were free of fresh battle-scars. Tracks of 2 large male lions were located coming into MalaMala from the west, just north of our Airstrip and they were making a bee-line to the area in which the separated Matshipiri males were last seen. Although we never located the makers of the tracks, odds are it was most likely the Manyelethi males! The injured Matshipiri male was found at Campbell Koppies and it seems that he too managed to keep a low profile overnight. This leads us to believe that the fight we heard was between the fuller-maned Matshipiri male and 2 of the Manyelethi males. None were located. June 28th. The day got off to a cracking start with the sun rising over Campbell Koppies to the sound of a buffalo in distress. As we arrived on the scene we saw a small herd of buffalo bulls surrounding a comrade with a badly broken leg. The 2 Avoca males and 2 lionesses from the Kambula pride were 20 meters away- presumably their first attempt at bringing down the prey had resulted in the bull breaking its leg. But something else was also going down in the midst of the herd. They were attempting to gouge something on the ground... it was the injured Matshapiri male. The bulls nudged him around a bit before being satisfied that he was not a threat. In the end the other 4 lions successfully brought down the injured bull. For the rest of the day they fed off the carcass with the injured Matshipiri male just watching from 10 meters away. All the while hyenas were gathering in their droves and by nightfall there were 10 strong, and counting... another 2 lionesses from the Kambula pride were also found early moving west away from the area of the other lions- they were both lactating. June 29th. Lions, lions, everywhere... a total of 6 different lion sightings today including 4 prides and 3 coalitions! The 2 Avoca males and 2 lionesses from the Kambula pride were chased off their buffalo kill by 11 hyenas- the lions then moved into the Sand River south of Main Camp where they spent the rest of the day. The injured Matshipiri male was in the vicinity of the buffalo kill whilst the hyenas were feeding. June 30th. The roars of lions have dominated the night skies over MalaMala recently and last night was no different. Lions could be heard through the night both opposite and south of Main Camp. This time the culprits opposite camp were 3 of the Gowrie males! July 2nd: The 2 Avoca males are still in the company of a lioness from the Kambula pride south of West Street Pans. The injured Matshipiri male was found near Campbell Koppies- still in poor condition. July 3rd: the 2 Avoca males were in the company of 2 Kambula lionesses south of Princess Alice's Pans. The injured Matshipiri male was on Valley Road. July 4th: Both Avoca males were seen separately but in the same general area west of our airstrip, both lions were mating with lionesses from the Kambula pride. The injured Matshipiri male is still in the vicinity of Campbell Koppies. July 5th: 2 lion sightings: He's back! The fuller-maned Matshipiri male was seen in the Sand River west of Elephant Rock. He's sporting some fresh battle scars but nothing too serious. July 6th. The king is dead, long live the king. The Matshipiri male with the mohawk has finally succumbed to his injuries. His carcass was found just south of Campbell Koppies with hyenas feeding on it. This officially brings to an end the short-lived reign of this coalition and as the saying goes: you live by the sword, you die by the sword. 2 lion sightings: the 2 Avoca males were viewed at Buffalo Pans. July 8th: One of the day's main talking points involved 5 of the lionesses from the Kambula pride. They were found close to Main Camp early this morning. As darkness fell we watched them cross the Sand River at Bicycle Crossing before they took note of something to their west. The lionesses ran in without delay and before we knew it 3 of them had ascended a tree with a disgruntled leopard in it. The leopard managed to climb up higher ensuring that it was out of the lions grasps but unfortunately it was not afforded the time to move its fresh impala kill. The lions devoured the carcass in a matter of minutes before continuing on their way.The fuller/maned Matshipiri male was seen at Elephant Rock. July 9th: the 2 Avoca males spent the day south of Princess Alice's Pans. Guests are Rattray's Camp were treated to a 4 in 1 special with a lioness from the Kambula pride, July 12th. 5 lion sightings: 4 of the lionesses from the Kambula pride were found early this morning near the White Cloth. They treated us to some spectacular game viewing as they moved northwards, hunting throughout the day- 2 of the lionesses split away at midday, possibly to return to their cubs. July 13th: The 2 Avoca males and a lioness from the Kambula pride spent the day along the Sand River south of West Street Bridge. This evening we watched in awe as 3 Kambula lionesses acrobatically caught an impala just west of Main Camp. July 14th: The 2 Avoca males and a lioness from the Kambula pride spent the day in the Sand River just north of Rattray's Camp. July 17th: We followed the spoor towards the Sand River where we found 3 members of Kambula pride. A 4th Kambula lioness and the fuller maned Avoca male were seen soon after about a kilometer to their west. Later on we returned to the 3 Kambula lionesses, they had barely moved an inch but that would soon change. A duiker's shrill distress-call pierced the air. The lionesses shot up and ran a bee-line to where the sound was coming from. We sped off in hot persuit. A few minutes later the lioness arrived at the scene and discovered the fuller-maned Avoca male killing a duiker. One of the lionesses approached him but the male, who was unwilling to share, launched a brutal attack before devouring the small antelope. The 4th lioness then joined the sighting and all 4 made a submissive and somewhat comic advance, in union. July 18th. 6 lion sightings: 2 of the most used phrases today: "They're back!" and "He's back!" The first refers to the return of the aging Manyelethi males- the individuals with the dark mane and the scared nose were found east of the Sand River in northern Charleston. The second refers to the fuller maned Matshipiri male who joined up with the Fourways pride this evening along the northern parts of our boundary Jwith the Kruger National Park. 2 Kambula lionesses were viewed opposite Rattray's Camp and another 2 were south of the camp. July 19th-21st: The 2 Avoca males have been in the company of a lioness from the Kambula pride on our airstrip. Last night we witnessed a fascinating but gruesome ordeal when the other 5 Kambula lionesses caught and repeatedly mauled a hyena close to Main Camp. July 23rd: The 2 Avoca males were in the Sand River north of Rattray's Camp- they stole a kill from hyenas after dark. July 24th: The 2 Avoca males spent the day on the White Cloth in the company of 2 Kambula lionesses. Another 2 Kambula lionesses were in the Sand River in front of Rattray's Camp. July 25th: 5 lion sightings: The 3 Manyelethi males are back again! These aging dominant lions were found along the central parts of our boundary with the Kruger National Park. 4 lionesses from the Kambula pride were at Maxim's Lookout- the view from this point is normally amazing but add 4 lionesses and 2 herds of elephant... breathtaking. The fuller-maned Avoca male was seen in the Sand River just a few hundred meters south of the lionesses. A 5th and heavily pregnant Kambula lioness was seen in front of Rattray's Camp. July 27th: 3 lionesses from the Kambula pride were found in the Sand River south of West Street Bridge- later in the day we watched them catch an impala. July 29th: The day got off to a rather quiet start but that changed quickly and it changed dramatically when 4 of the lionesses from the Kambula pride were found trailing a herd of 200 Cape buffalo north of Styx Waterhole. The whole ordeal lasted for a couple hours with the herd successfully driving back several attempts made by the lions... until they entered the Sand River. As the lions gave chase once more the buffalo stampeded across the watercourse at a point with a deep hole- several animals stumbled through it but one individual paid the price for his misfortune. the remaining 2 Kambula lionesses spent the day in the Sand River south of Rattray's Camp. The 3 Manyelethi males are along the northern bank of the Ngoboswan Donga. July 31st: 5 lionesses from the Kambula pride were south of West Street Bridge. The 2 Avoca males have buffalo kill near Lion Waterhole. August 1st: Leopards: Tuesday's main talking point revolved around the Bicycle Crossing male after he had consecutive standoffs with the 2 Avoca male lions. Another interesting sighting occurred later when we found the Manyelethi male with the scarred nose mating with a Kambula lioness near our airstrip. 4 lionesses from the Kambula pride were viewed hunting impala north of West Street Pans. August 2nd: 5 lionesses from the Kambula pride were viewed on our airstrip. The 2 Avoca males were along the southern reaches of the Matshipiri River August 3rd. 5 different lion sightings were recorded today including another interesting twist in lion dynamics... a Kambula lioness is mating with a Gowrie male south of Senegal Bush! Another Kambula lioness is still mating with the scarred nose Manyelethi male. We watched the 2 Avoca males hunting buffalo in the Sand River south of Main Camp.
June 7, 2017 from Londolozi:
Three mornings ago we bumped into the non-injured Matshipiri male and followed him for 100 metres through the chilly dawn until he lay down in a clearing, looking about him. His face bore many cuts and gashes, and on his spine was a fresh puncture wound, with a thin trickle of blood running from it down his flank. Ranger John Mohaud was joining us in the sighting, and we could see his vehicle approaching, when suddenly his urgent voice came over the radio “There are two more males here approaching rapidly!” Looking towards John’s Land Rover, we suddenly saw the shape of a young male lion emerge from the bushes, and then a second, both moving quickly with heads down, clearly on the scent trail of the Matshipiri male.  *This image is copyright of its original author His face scarred up, the Matshipiri male who was chased lies down only moments before the two Avoca males burst out of the bushes in the background in pursuit. Photograph by Vedant Thite  *This image is copyright of its original author Moving at a trot, one of the Avoca coalition glances towards our vehicle while in pursuit of the Matshipiri male. Photograph by Vedant Thite  *This image is copyright of its original author One of the Avoca males scent-marks while he roars, a sure sign of territorial intent. Photograph by Vedant Thite Ranger Greg Pingo, returning late from drive, had more news. During the early parts of the chase that morning, the Avoca and Matshipiri males had run past a big waterhole not too far from the airstrip. What no one had noticed however, being so fixated on the running lions, was that right next to the waterhole, lying in one of the inlets, was the other Matshipiri male, the one with the broken leg. He must have been there for two days, since the Ntsevu lionesses had killed a young giraffe close by and he had joined them to feed on it. With that having been his only decent meal in goodness-knows how long, he was in a badly emaciated condition, and in no condition to get in a fight with rival males. No wonder he kept quiet as his brother ran by. This was by no means the end of the story though. Realising that there was a good chance that the Avoca males might find the injured Matshipiri male that evening, Greg and Alistair Smith returned to sit with the younger coalition after dinner. The two lions got up and began retracing their steps, and as expected, it wasn’t long before they caught the scent of the injured Matshipiri male, and had found him within a few minutes. Needless to say, Greg and Alistair expected fireworks, but nothing like that happened. Instead of rushing in to finish him off, the Avoca males simply circled him at a distance, scent marking every bush and tree, but doing nothing to initiate a physical conflict. The Matshipiri male, injured and helpless, simply lay there growling. Unable to run off or rush in to attack, he simply had to await his fate. Interestingly, the two young males, after scent-marking, simply walked away. Why would two male lions, apparently intent on taking over the territory, leave their seemingly defenceless victim alone? Is it a case of not kicking a man when he’s down? Did the fact that the Matshipiri male no longer represented a threat to them meant that they weren’t interested anymore? As I understand it from Greg and Al, the injured male had his vulnerable rear end backed up into a bush, meaning the Avoca males could only attack his front, which could still have been very dangerous for them. The risk of attacking an already severely injured foe would not have been worth it. Just how down-and-out the Avoca males could sense the Matshipiri male to be no one can say for sure, but I imagine they would have had a fair idea from his emaciated condition. Also, with him not being able to run, the chase response would not have been triggered in the antagonists, so they contented themselves with merely scent-marking, establishing their dominance in front of him, then roaring as they moved off. With lions it is sometimes simply a numbers game; without his brother, the uninjured Matshipiri would have felt far more vulnerable, and his instinctive flight (on a number of occasions buy now) would trigger an automatic chase response in the Avoca young males. It would have been interesting to see what would have happened had the Avoca males arrived two months ago, before one of the Matshipiris broke his leg. As a pair of larger male lions, I don’t think the Matshipiri males would have had much trouble in dealing with this new threat. This is a moot point though, since what has happened has happened, and the Matshipiri coalition seems to be losing their hold, although nothing has been concluded.  *This image is copyright of its original author The healthier of the two Matshipiri males, bellowing on the morning that he first encountered the two Avoca young males.  *This image is copyright of its original author The sparse manes on the young Avoca males are clearly indicative of their youth. It is quite possible that these young Avoca males, if they do succeed in either killing or driving off the Matshipiri pair, may well be ousted in the not-too-distant future by an older and bigger coalition that wanders in from the Kruger Park. Three of the massive Birmingham males were seen in our northern areas yesterday morning, and the rumours of the Mantimahle males continue to loom from the south. I imagine that we’re in for some interesting times, which most likely doesn’t bode well for any cubs currently on Londolozi. Fi
May29, 2017 from Londolozi
From being what was once a strong and stable coalition just a short while ago, the Matshipiri male lions are now in serious trouble. In mid- to late April, in an unknown incident, one of the Matshipiri males broke his leg and since then his condition has been deteriorating. Moving with his brother and spending time with the Ntsevu pride had been his saving grace though because it had meant that he has had meat provided for him. That was until about a week ago. The first encounter happened in southern Dudley on the 20th May on the banks of the Sand River, where two young, unknown males chased the Matshipiri males north through their territory. We saw only a single Matshipiri male that morning heading north and roaring constantly, with the calls of the two other males further south and east of him. It seemed in this encounter the older males managed to get away unscathed. We became aware of the second encounter when we heard the bellowing roars of these coalitions all the way from camp on the morning of the 23rd. Shaun D’Araujo and Elmon Mhlongo traced these calls to central Londolozi and found two young males lions that none of us had ever seen before. Gregory Pingo and his guests were with these males later on in the morning as they walked through Londolozi, calling brazenly. On this exploratory mission they came across the uninjured Matshipiri male who had been resting in some long grass. As soon as he lifted his head and was spotted, the new coalition took off after him. These young males are only estimated to be about four years old and are in fact much younger and smaller than the Matshipiri males, but being alone and outnumbered, the Matshipiri male apparently decided that it was not worth a fight and so he ran for a few kilometres with the newcomers trailing close behind him. They eventually lost sight of the Matshipiri male, who headed down into the Sand River to the east of our camps, and the new males lay down to rest just south of the camps for the remainder of the day. The male with the broken back leg was seen lying close to our eastern boundary, about mid-way along. He was incredibly lucky that it wasn’t him who had been spotted by these newcomers as he would have been unable to escape in his weakened state. The following morning, the tracks showed that the healthier Matshipiri male had done a massive loop to the east of Londolozi during the night, gone south by a number of kilometres where he was met again by the newcomers. Trackers, Freddy Ngobeni and Sersant Sibuyi did an amazing job of piecing together what happened during the night based on the tracks left behind. The tracks showed where the new males had been walking when they spotted the Matshipiri male. They took off after him attempting to chase him down. There was a point where the new males managed to grab him but he ran a few more paces, dragging them along with him. The scene where the actual fight occurred showed a lot of disturbance to the ground, patches of blood as well as clumps of hair that had been ripped out of his mane. The tracks showed where the older male managed to get away and run off. From there the newcomers continued walking, leaving small smudges of blood on the ground from the base of their paws as they walked. The newcomers were found a little while later, still roaring and walking. They were both limping slightly, with blood on their feet but were otherwise in good condition. Later on that morning, they met up with a Ntsevu lioness who was seen mating with them sporadically. *This image is copyright of its original author One of the Ntsevu lionesses is submissive towards the two new males. The youth of this new coalition is evidenced by their significantly smaller manes than the Matshipiri males whom they have been chasing. Photograph by James Tyrrell.  *This image is copyright of its original author Route of uninjured Matshipiri male over last few days. Light blue: First witnessed chase of Matshipiri by new coalition. Red: Site of altercation described in video. Fur from mane and bloodstains. Green: Position on morning after serious altercation of Green dot. Dark Blue: Matshipiri position as of two days ago His brother with the broken leg was also seen on that same afternoon. He is incredibly thin at the moment and was seen chasing a male cheetah. It is quite possible that he was hoping the cheetah had a kill that he could rob but unfortunately for him this was not the case. We did see him manage to run a few paces on his broken leg but once the cheetah had moved off, he collapsed in some shade to rest. Although these animals have an amazing amount of resilience and tend to bounce back from some seemingly dire situations, his condition doesn’t bode well.  *This image is copyright of its original author In an attempt to chase a cheetah, the injured Matshipiri male can be seen limping heavily as he puts pressure on his clearly broken leg. His gaunt frame and protruding ribs are clearly evident here. Photograph by Amy Attenborough.  *This image is copyright of its original author Bite wounds can clearly be seen on his rump and flanks here, evidence of a run-in with the new males. Photograph by Amy Attenborough  *This image is copyright of its original author Evidence of the encounter this ‘healthier’ Matshipiri male had with the new coalition. Photograph by Nick Kleer  *This image is copyright of its original author The worst of the injuries seem to be a puncture wound below his eye and one on his back but despite appearances he should make a full recovery. Photograph by Nick Kleer The last few months have been relatively peaceful on Londolozi with regards to lion dynamics with the absence of the Matimba males and only sporadic visits from the Majingilane coalition. Now though, roars can be heard late into the morning and the competition between these coalitions is heating up for sure. Currently we are trying to ascertain who this new coalition is, although photographic comparisons and updates from neighbouring lodges seem to suggest that they are the Avoca young males, a newly dispersed pair that have moved down from the Timbavati/Ngala area.
June 17 2017 from Londolozi
Likely Fight between Full mane Matshapiri and Majis Once more the roars of three lions, not two, were heard in the chill dawn air. It could only be the Majingilane. Waking at intervals through the night, like a diver occasionally coming up for air, it was a relatively simple thing for many of the rangers and trackers to chart the progress of the Majingilane as the lions marched in from the north-west, bellowing as they came. Assembling on deck before sunrise, the conversation amongst guides and guests was naturally going to lean towards the current lion dynamics and the ever-more-frequent forays of the three Majingilane back into the Londolozi heartland. Hearing their roaring swell in volume and then recede as dawn approached, it was a relatively straightforward thing for the field team to isolate the area in which they were, and it wasn’t long before Callum Gowar and Shadrack Mkhabela found them moving steadily through the thickets to the south of the Maxabene riverbed.  *This image is copyright of its original author This time, however, something was different. The battle-hardened faces bore fresh cuts. Blood dripped off the chin of the Dark-Maned male, and the male with the scar nose showed similar signs of a battering. Gone was the aura of invincibility that these for have long worn like a cloak.  *This image is copyright of its original author It is believed that the dark-maned male’s right eye was already blind, so further injury to it through a fight would not be the worst thing that could happen. Photograph by Callum Gowar  *This image is copyright of its original author The scar-nosed male showing cuts in an eerily similar place to the dark maned male. Obviously being one-down from their previous make-up has made them more vulnerable, but their reactions to what is happening around them are slowly starting to lose that competitive edge. Yesterday morning the two Avoca males were found, again in company with two Ntsevu lionesses, and the Majingilane’s line of march came directly from where the younger males had been. We had assumed that a large part of the reason the Majingilane have been coming back has been to establish a buffer between their territory and the encroachment of the Avoca pair, yet yesterday morning, when a loud series of growls from an interaction between the Avoca males and one of the lionesses was heard, the Majingilane simply continued on their way without reacting. And the growling wasn’t that far off. I remember back in 2011 when they were newly dominant, and tracker Like Gumede trailed them down to the southern parts of Londolozi in 45 minutes of brilliant track following and anticipation; all four Majingilane were together, when suddenly in the distance we heard the roar of another male lion. Four heads shot up, and within seconds the coalition was in full charge in the direction of the roar, which from the sounds of it was at least a couple of kilometres away. We soon lost them in the Dichrostachys thickets as they continued at full speed, but my point is how they reacted to the slightest hint of the presence of another male; with instant aggression. Yesterday morning they didn’t. If they are coming back now to ward off the encroachment of the Avoca males, why were they simply retreating yesterday morning, when the Avoca males were still nearby, and audible. In terms of the Ntsveu lionesses, mating with them would not be the genetic first prize for the Majingilane, as the six females are their daughters. Inbreeding in lions is not uncommon, but obviously not ideal for the continued genetic health of a population. After many months without contact, just how much recognition there might be between the Majingilane and the Ntsevu lionesses is difficult to say, but an encounter would very likely be approached with hesitancy by both sides. This takes us back to the buffer theory, and the Majingilane simply trying to establish a sort of no-mans land between their core territory and any other threat.  *This image is copyright of its original author The scar-nosed male follows behind. Although I don’t have a photo of him here, the missing-canine male was also sporting cuts on his face. Many facial cuts sustained by male lions – and indeed lions in general – are received when fighting amongst each other over carcasses, but the presence of this coalition far out of their usual territory, roaring through the night, tied in with the sounds of lions scrapping, all seem to point towards a confrontation of some kind with rivals. With the Matshipiri coalition seemingly broken, and no-one yet having witnessed an actual Majingilane-Avoca clash, this all just conjecture until something more concrete is seen.
BLOODLINE : MAJINGILANE
FOURWAYS MALE born 2010
STYX MALE born 2011
SPARTA MALE born 2012
TSALALA MALES
The Tsalala males are 3 males born mid- JUNE 2013 in Tsalala pride and fathered by the Majingilane males.In Malamala the Tsalala pride is called Marthly pride and these young males are called Young Marthly males. IN SEPTEMBER 2015 THE MATIMBA MALES ARRIVED ON LONDOLOZI.ANY YOUNG MALES WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED OR DRIVEN OFF ALONG WITH ANY YOUNG FEMALES NOT READY TO MATE. THE TAILLESS FEMALE (NOT THE ORIGINAL b1998 BUT HER DAUGHTER b 2002) SPLIT OFF FROM THE MAIN PRIDE WITH THESE MALES AND THEIR SISTER AND RAISED THEM SEPERATELY.IN LATE MAY 2017 THE MALES MOVED SOUTH OUT OF THEIR NATAL TERRITORY. THEIR SISTER HAS STAYED BEHIND WITH THE TAILLESS FEMALE, WHO HAD CUBS IN APRIL.  *This image is copyright of its original author MANGHENI MALES BORN:JULY 2013 BROTHERS OF : NTSEVU PRIDE FEMALES 1 MALE DISAPPEARED LATE 2016 TALAMATI MALE ( MATIMBA OFFSPRING ) JOINED MHANGENIS ABOUT MID 2016 JUST BEFORE THEY SPLIT OFF FROM THEIR SISTERS AND BECAME NOMADIC AS OF MID 2017 THEY HAVE A TERRITORY TO THE SOUTH AND WEST OF SS *This image is copyright of its original author BLOODLINE _FEMALES
1 LIONESS IN THE 4 WAYS PRIDE born in 2010
1 LIONESS IN STYX PRIDE BORN IN 2011
2 LIONESSES IN THE TSALALA PRIDE 1 BORN 2011/ 1 BORN 2013
1 LIONESS IN SPARTA PRIDE BORN 2012
6 NSTEVU/KAMBULA FEMALES BORN 2013
YOUNG BLOOD
2 Sub-adults(1M 1F ) in Othawa pride BORN 2015
12 cubs ( 9M 3 F ) in MANGHENI PRIDE Born 2016
From Londolozi Game Reserve, The Ending of an Era: Tsalala Lioness Dying by James Tyrrell:
When the end comes for lions, it generally comes quickly. Over the last two years, the fortunes of the Tsalala pride have been what we have come to expect from them; from down-and-out to new hope and then back again, with the peaks and troughs creating the kind of saga you couldn’t script. Upon the successful rearing of the Tailed female’s 2013 litter to independence, the pride entered into a new phase with the arrival of the Matimba males. Two new litters were born – a total of 5 cubs – and it seemed like the pride was going through a wonderful rebirth. The lioness (centre), leads her pride over the Sand River, only a year ago. A lot has changed since then.  *This image is copyright of its original author And then things went downhill. The Matimba males moved out (for reasons we could never quite fathom), and the pride split once more, with the Tailless female breaking off with her 3-year-old niece, and the Tailed lioness staying with the 2011 lioness and their cubs. Both sets of lions criss-crossed a similar area, but despite the occasional meet-up, the rejoining we always anticipated and hoped for never materialised. Over the next year, a series of setbacks hit the pride – both core and Breakaway parts – and we now find ourselves with an end-of-the-road, three-way split. The Tailless female and her remaining cub are moving around by themselves, still apparently healthy, but alone. The young lioness from the 2013 litter has been mating with one of the Birmingham males, and appears to be the last hope for the Tsalala name, as her mother, the old Tailed lioness, will probably be lost within the next 48 hours. Skeletal and unrecognisable, the old Tailed lioness moves through her territory for what is more than likely the last time. Photograph by Nick Kleer.  *This image is copyright of its original author Isolated from her pride for weeks now, the lioness has been losing condition steadily, and the sad reality is that the iconic duo of Tsalala sisters is about to lose its first member. Born in 2002, these lionesses have been at the centre of Londolozi lion viewing for more than a decade-and-a-half. Seeing their pride endure the changing of the guard of males multiple times – Mapogo, Majingilane, Matimba, to name but a few – the two sisters have both survived to the same age as their mother, the original Tailless lioness, who died at age 15. Celebrating their own 15th birthday in December, the pair are by no means spring chickens, and the day on which we lost one of them was certainly going to come sooner rather than later. The inevitability of death does in no way make it easier to bear however, and the lioness will leave behind a void that will not easily be filled. I try and distance myself from the emotionality of difficult sightings, knowing that it’s a bad road to go down, but this morning was a tougher one than usual, as we sat quietly with the lioness, watching her draw slow, yet almost peaceful breaths. Many “firsts” of mine in the bush have been with her and her sister; first kill, first discovery of a lion’s den-site, first lions climbing trees. I always advocate the non-attachment approach with wild animals, but this is a hard one to process, as I guess despite one’s best efforts, time itself makes for the inexorable development of an attachment. Casting her eyes to the sky. I can’t begin to imagine how many photographs have been taken of this lioness over the last 15 years, and how many indelible memories she has made.  *This image is copyright of its original author The last seven years spent watching her, week-in and week-out, are peppered with memories, far more than could fill a simple scrapbook. She lies now in the shade of a Gardenia tree, next to a small pan that is surrounded by these same trees, the local name for which is Tsalala. It was this exact pan, and the original pride’s spending a lot of their time here, that gave them their name. Without romanticising it too much, there is some solace in the thought that after fifteen years, with the inevitable end approaching, this old lioness has simply come home.
The 2 Duba boys Male lions 1992? 2008
Made famous by the iconic National Geographic documentary “Relentess Enemies and The Last lions” by Dereck and Beverly Joubert, Duba Plains Camp is one of the most remote camps in a 30,000 hectare concession in the Okavango Delta in Botswana. Duba is a small, intimate camp renowned for its unrivalled access to the titanic struggle for survival between lion and buffalo. The dominant lions of the area, the “Duba Boys” inhabited Duba since 1996 when Duba Plains opened. For over 11 years which could very well likely be a record, the Duba Boys dominated the plains of Duba, presiding over four strong lion prides that fed almost exclusively on buffalo. Guides and scientists had expected the Duba Boys' reign to end beginning 2001-2002 but the brothers just kept on repelling any new males invading their territory and also kicking out their younger sons out of their domain. But as with nature it would only be a matter of time until a changing of the guard at Duba…. On December 28, 2007, one of the brothers finally died after succumbing to an injury that was caused by an attack from the dominant male of the neighboring territory. The Duba Boy was found by the guides one morning with a badly injured eye. Most of the guides agreed that it was likely that if he did not feed during the night that he would breathe his last. This turned out to be true. Duba guide James 007 was on game drive on the morning of the December 29, 2007 when he saw some vultures soaring along Letlalo Road. As usual he investigated and was devastated to find the late Duba Boy. It is fitting that he was killed by the buffalos he had hunted for most of his adult life. The area looked like a battle field. The bush was trashed, the grass was trampled and the dead Duba Boy had a gash from the chest down to the belly from the horns of his relentless enemies. After the death of the first Duba Boy, the remaining lion in the formidable duo struggled and he could not stay with the main buffalo hunters, the Tsaro Pride, and he was not able to hunt effectively due to his deteriorating condition. The second Duba Boy also disappeared for a period of ten days and he finally met his fate one night while trying to hunt buffalo. He got badly wounded in his chest and could hardly move from the spot where the incident occurred. After three days he managed to get to a waterhole, but as he knelt down for a drink on July 28, 2008, he took his last breath of life - exactly seven months after his brother passed and not too far from where his brother’s bones lay.... The Duba Boys made history for themselves in two ways: they were one of the few male lion coalitions known to have held the territory for that long (approximately 11 years) and they lived to reach an exceptionally old age of approximately 17 years. To put this in perspective, males in coalitions have a normally brief reproductive reign over a female pride. Pride tenure on average lasts no more than two years, four at the most. May the Duba Boys rest in peace - they will certainly be remembered by all of us (guides and guests) who have been privileged to see these legendary lions reign over the battlefields of Duba. 
Welcome to the forum @baironmairon
Thank you for starting with such a fantastic and detailed posts.. We need such type of posts more on WildFact.. keep up doing god things 
Dinokeng male from the Kololo Game Reserve in South Africa. Said to be an absolute monster of a male lion by a friend of mine that had the luck to see him. There was a younger male in the same Reserve (doesn't know the name) he said was even bigger framed and had bigger paws.
 *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author
(05-12-2018, 05:38 AM)Pantherinae Wrote: Dinokeng male from the Kololo Game Reserve in South Africa. Said to be an absolute monster of a male lion by a friend of mine that had the luck to see him. There was a younger male in the same Reserve (doesn't know the name) he said was even bigger framed and had bigger paws. Wow. Too bad the image is too small to use as desktop wallpaper. 
About #209: Another photo concerning this famous lion described by Dereck and Beverly Joubert:
 *This image is copyright of its original author
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