Lion tales

[T I N O]

(12-14-2020, 12:34 AM)Tr1x24 Wrote:

(12-14-2020, 12:23 AM)Gijima Wrote: No idea the date on this but any idea if these could be the cubs:

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*This image is copyright of its original author
There are pictures too of Bigger Maned S Avoca (in the front) with a cub. Could be another litter though that died out.

Nice find @Gijima! 

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Red ones are 2 S. Avocas and blue one is Dark Mane N. Avoca..

This is prob around early 2016, so yes, those cubs are most likely Xikukutsus males..

Very rare photo of S. And N. Avocas still together in the pride..

That's a good pic. DM was the favorite sub-adult male of Johan Smalman. Reply

[Gijima]

Here’s the other one:

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[T I N O]

@Gijima  The other photo was taken in June 2016. Reply

[T I N O]

1/2 Xikukutsu males in June 2016.
Image credit: Johan Smalman

*This image is copyright of its original author

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[Tr1x24]

(12-14-2020, 12:46 AM)TinoArmando Wrote: @Gijima  The other photo was taken in June 2016.

So yeah, those cubs are Xikukutsus, it seems that Bigger Maned was their favorite big brother. Reply

[T I N O]

One of the two Xikukutsu males (cub) with one of the two Southern Avoca males.
Image credit: Johan Smalman
June 2016

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[T I N O]

(12-14-2020, 12:48 AM)Tr1x24 Wrote:

(12-14-2020, 12:46 AM)TinoArmando Wrote: @Gijima  The other photo was taken in June 2016.

So yeah, those cubs are Xikukutsus, it seems that Bigger Maned was their favorite big brother.

Yeah Reply

[Potato]

(12-14-2020, 12:23 AM)Gijima Wrote: No idea the date on this but any idea if these could be the cubs:

*This image is copyright of its original author

There are pictures too of Bigger Maned S Avoca (in the front) with a cub. Could be another litter though that died out.

There was only one litter at that time. Thoses are Xikukutsus and if I am not mistaken there was also some female in their litter (litter of 3). Reply

[T I N O]

(12-14-2020, 01:47 AM)Potato Wrote:

(12-14-2020, 12:23 AM)Gijima Wrote: No idea the date on this but any idea if these could be the cubs:

*This image is copyright of its original author

There are pictures too of Bigger Maned S Avoca (in the front) with a cub. Could be another litter though that died out.

There was only one litter at that time. Thoses are Xikukutsus and if I am not mistaken there was also some female in their litter (litter of 3).

Yeah Reply

[T I N O]

How Old is That Lion? Part 2
In my previous blog about “How Old is That Lion?” I focused on a few different ways to estimate the age of cubs in particular.

Now it is time to move onto arguably the most difficult kind of lion to age – a lioness.
The job of distinguishing one lioness from another in the field can be a tricky job at the best of times and attempting to figure out their age is just as tough. The most reliable way to age one is to study photographs of them, but it is also possible to do in real time by looking at a few key features and using them in combination to come to a final conclusion.

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Some Ntsevu females and their young pause at a waterhole for a drink. As you can see, it is certainly not easy to tell one from the other.

The first step in [i]ageing a lioness is to separate adult from sub-adult.

A lion is no longer considered a cub when it is older than two years and is then referred to as a sub-adult. A two year old lioness is about two-thirds the size of an adult and a lioness usually appears fully developed after three years or so. Other than size, another reliable way to tell a sub-adult female from an adult lioness is to observe the presence of cubs (or suckle marks); as a lioness with cubs will almost always be older than three and a half years old.[/i]

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[i]An Ntsevu lioness plays with her cub. We know the Ntsevu females were born in 2013 but even if we didn’t, the presence of this cub allows us to confidently state that this lioness is older than three and a half.[/i]
[i]Once it has been confirmed that a particular lioness is indeed an adult, the ageing process turns to the nitty-gritty details to refine the estimate. As mentioned in the previous post there are a few key features to look for that can help with determining the age of any lion, namely; nose pigmentation, tooth quality and facial markings. There is no particular order in which to check these features and often there isn’t any need to check all of them.

The first feature I usually at is the nose pigmentation. The theory surrounding nose pigmentation is that a lion’s nose will acquire more freckles as it ages. Studies conducted on lions in the Serengeti concluded that there is a strong link between the age of a lion and the amount of pigmentation there. Before a lion reaches roughly three years of age, its nose will usually be a uniform grey or pink colour. After three years the lion’s nose will gradually develop more and more blemishes on it until its nose is more or less covered by around eight years of age.[/i]
[i]

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[/i]
[i][i]Sticking with the Ntsevu pride for now, we can see by the freckling on her nose that she is probably in the region of six to seven years old at the time this photograph was taken. Notice how many of her freckles have joined up but there are still a few pink areas in and amongst the dark freckles.[/i][/i]

[i][i]The next feature to consider is the markings on her face. It almost goes without saying that years of hunting and scrapping with other lions is bound to leave a lioness with a few scars there. Facial scars are usually decent indicators of age but are not fully reliable. Most of the time older lionesses will have more scars on their faces than younger ones, but this is not always the case and sometimes younger females have just been on the receiving end a bit more.

It is therefore wise to not [i]only use the number of scars on a lioness’ age when ageing her.[/i][/i][/i]
[i][i]

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[/i][/i]
[i][i][i]The Tsalala female glances up at the camera. When this photograph was taken the lioness was about six years old. Her face has a few scars on it but nothing major. By the time the Tsalala female reaches ten years old, we could expect to find number of new scars added to current tally. To be fair though, most facial scars are inflected by fellow pride members when fighting over a kill. Considering this lioness has always been in a small pride or no pride, she is bound to have fewer scars than others.[/i][/i][/i]

[i][i][i]The last feature to contemplate is usually the most difficult to see – the lion’s teeth.

As lions get older their teeth show more wear and tear from all their use over the years. Whether it is biting through the bones of an antelope or blows from the hooves of fleeing prey, lion’s teeth take a battering which is why they are a good indicator of age. A three year old lion’s teeth will likely be white, sharp and show few signs of wear, but as the lion approaches the age of five or six the canines will have turned yellow and some of the teeth will be chipped and slightly worn down. By the age of seven or eight and upwards, all the teeth will have yellowed and many will be worn down and chipped and some may even be missing. As is the case with facial markings, analysing the teeth alone isn’t always reliable because some lion’s teeth will age differently for a number of different reasons.[/i][/i][/i]
[i][i][i]

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[/i][/i][/i]
[i][i][i][i]Look at those teeth! Notice how all of the teeth are yellow. Also, notice how the canine teeth are slightly worn down and one or two teeth are missing. All these signs suggest that this lioness is around seven years old and this can be confirmed by the freckling on her nose.[/i][/i][/i][/i]

[i][i][i][i]Ageing lionesses can be tough, but by using the tools above in conjunction with one another, hopefully you will be able to get a fairly good idea of how old a particular lion might be.

Next time you happen to see a lioness (or even a picture of one) try to figure out her age and enjoy looking at those more intricate details a little more closely.[/i][/i][/i][/i]
Image credits: (1) James Tyrell  (2) Nick Sims (3) James Souchon (4) Uncredited Photographer (5) Bruce Arnott Reply

[Potato]

(06-01-2019, 09:48 PM)Potato Wrote: https://blog.malamala.com/index.php/2017/05/kambula-pride/?fbclid=IwAR2QyMZwpsE4t8xjPTR80Zass4f5bAmH-LktrXUcTdyS-XLICXcZHAIS2I4

Late 2016 - Early 2017

Born of Kambula pride and Southern Matimba vs Matshipiri males clash over it.

The last six months or so here at MalaMala Game Reserve have proven to be a rather tempestuous time with regard to the fascinating lion dynamics taking place on the property. This has all come as a result of the insurgence of six beautiful young lionesses beginning to flex their collective territorial muscle in the central and western parts of MalaMala.
The beginnings of this pride was a fairly tumultuous time to say the least, one that has saw the splitting of family ties and bloodlines. Going back a generation, the mothers of these six (four, young females at the time) had broken away from the well-known Marthly Pride with the aid of an adult tailless female- the mother in fact of the current tailless female in the Marthly pride who suffered the same fate as a juvenile, with her tail being bitten off by a hyena. The reason for this was to escape the wrath of the four Manyeleti males who had taken the area by force and with the four females being of an age too young to breed, they were seen as a hindrance to the expansion of the Manyeleti male’s bloodline. This is standard lion modus operandi whereby new males will kill the offspring of females, in order to induce them into oestrus so as to put their own genes forward.
Eventually the four females managed to establish themselves in areas to our west and there became known as the Marthly Breakaway pride (aka Mangheni). In the process the four females ended up killing that same tailless female over a zebra carcass as they had slowly drifted apart and lost their close ties to one another (such is the nature of lions ) and finally from those four, nine cubs managed to make it to adolescence.  The nine consisted of six females and three males. Eventually, and again from the pressures of the Manyeleti males, the nine juveniles were pushed out and became fairly nomadic. We have seen at least two of those young males in the south on the odd occasion but towards the middle of last year every now and again, six beautiful unscarred females would pop up in the Sand River at various spots and then all but disappear.

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As the curtains of last year’s drought began to draw their tattered drapes across the land with the promise of new rains to come, the more regular emergences of these lionesses began to excite us all. They were closely by the two massive Clarendon male lions. Our airstrip, Piccadilly Triangle and Campbell Koppies was were we viewed them most often. The majority of the females all now of sexual maturity had picked up the undivided attention of the two Clarendon males and we enjoyed numerous sightings of all eight lions together as well as a few stolen intimate moments during the time of the courting period.

For most of the last year or two the central parts of MalaMala had been somewhat of a buffer zone between the two Matshipiri male lions, presiding over the Eyrefield pride and Fourways pride, and the Gowire males, dominant over the Styx pride. It was in this area that the new kids on the block began snooping around for possible sites to stash away the cubs that were by this stage a very noticeable bulge in the otherwise lean bellies of at least two of the females. And so it was that with the first cracks of thunder, followed by the deep blue grey sheets of rain beginning their reinvigoration of the parched land, that the two females gave birth, one on Campbell Koppies which lies directly east of camp and the other on Ostrich Koppies a little further east of that. Due to the ruggedness of these beautiful granite outcrops (otherwise known as ‘Koppies’) we were offered only a few glimpses into the first days and weeks of these cub’s lives, but as fortunes would have it, this would be all we were going to witness.

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*This image is copyright of its original author

Enter the two Matshipiri males. All of this new lion activity occurring to the north of their territory was never going to go unnoticed be the streetwise and wily Matshipiri males. Not topping the scales by any measure and most certainly not winning any beauty contests, these two male lions top the charts in pure grit aggression and with a fighting spirit. It was this insatiable appetite to expand both territory and genes that drove the Matshipiri males northwards and into contact with the Clarendon males and their new posse of females. The initial reconnaissance missions were mostly all bravado on both sides with the early summer mornings being shattered by the thundering roars of the two coalitions. Like a great game of tug-o-war the battles continued to sway north and south, with the six females caught in the middle and the two coalitions playing with the double edged sword of ambition and self-preservation. It was interesting even as this delicate waltz of dominance ensued to see how some of the females flirtingly lured the Matshipiri males away when they got too close to the fortresses of the koppies. Or maybe they could already feel to which side the flag was going fall.

It was in fact New Year’s day as the sun began to beam across the aqua blues skies of mid-summer that once again the oppressive air was broken by the incisive roars of male lions. To the north of Main Camp the Matshipiri males, always together like two street brawlers had come across a lone Clarendon male and having realised their advantage proceeded to drive him as far out of the area as physically possible. Whilst we struggled to follow, catching only glimpses of the action it was evident that the tides had turned and the more youthful somewhat fortuitous Matshipiri males had just taken the upper hand. Eventually with salivating mouths from the continuous roaring of the morning we watched as the two lions lay side by side recovering from the exertion through the stifling heat. Like two prize fighters after the final bell, out of breath and body but none the less victors in the final battle of cunning and fortune

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This all falls as the backdrop to where we find ourselves now, with the lion dynamics being well and truly turned upside down, all by the influence of these new lionesses. What we do know is that the cubs initially born of the Clarendon males are no longer, whether it was the floods of the life giving rainy season, the incompetence of the first time mothers or in fact the Matshipiri males themselves, we will never know. Where certainty lies is that these lionesses have not escaped the attention and intentions of the Matshipiri males. We have witnessed them mating on many occasions throughout the central parts of MalaMala from the Western most boundary all the way to the Kruger boundary in the east.

It has now been quite some time that these lions have been occupying this newfound territory, showing all the signs of settling down and with this, in the tradition of MalaMala we need to name the pride accordingly. In the past we have always named our territorial cats both leopards and lions, according to the areas in which their core territories initially lie, normally after some prominent landmark, road or natural formation. Obviously these territories are fairly transient and are constantly changing due to the surrounding pressures of other rival animals but it gives us a way of identifying with these cats we are so lucky to spend time with.

After much discussion amongst us all, it was finally decided to name the six lionesses the ‘Kambula Pride’. “Kambula” refers to the name the Shangaan speaking people (during the early days of the establishment of MalaMala) gave to one, William Alfred Campbell, who throughout his life was affectionately known as ‘Wac’. It is after this man that those same Koppies on which the lionesses originally denned on, are named after, now today known again as Campbell Koppies. This stunning granite outcrop dominates the skyline when looking out from camp, surrounded by some of the most picturesque and wildlife rich areas on offer. It was one of the first areas in which hunting was prohibited on MalaMala due its proximity to camp and rich game viewing during those early days and was always earmarked as an area ‘for the enjoyment of the wildlife’. No doubt a great place for a pride of lions to include in their territory.
It would be a true disfavour at this stage to not touch on a little history of the Campbell name and its influence in those early days. To us, Wac Campbell is one of the founding fathers of MalaMala, a man of spirit and vision, a gentleman and a scholar, all coupled with the strength and tenacity of those early pioneering men of our country. A true lover of the African bush and its wildlife, Wac was the first to purchase MalaMala and the surrounding areas with the primary intention of conservation and enjoyment. After serving in the First World War as a Marine Landing Officer and ADC to the Governor of Natal, Wac was suffering from extremely poor health and was persuaded by an old family friend to do some hunting in the wilds of Zululand. This would be the first step not only to a life of good health but also towards the exquisite lands of the Eastern Transvaal, today known as the greater Kruger National Park.

Text: Ranger Theo York | Photographs: Theo York and Morne Coetzer

*Calderon males - Southern Matimba
 Manyeleti males - Majingilanes
 Gowrie males - BBoys

We spotted Hairy belly in Umkumbe game lodge (18th-19th Jan 2017) by himself with fight injuries. Roars could be heard 2-3km away by what sounded like another 2 lions which made him move in the opposite direction (This all happened at night). Any news of him and Ginger since the mentioned dates? I attach a picture of Hairy Belly showing clear injury on his back the day after the first sighting.

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[Potato]

https://lionprides.wordpress.com/2009/10/19/a-males-pride-more-at-savanna/
https://lionprides.wordpress.com/2010/01/04/savanna-lion-news/

2009 - 2010

Glimpse of Mapogo males competition for mating rights in Ximungwe pride

October 2009

The lion sightings have been phenomenal this month at Savanna. The excitement kicked off with the Ximungwe Pride and 4 of the Mpogo killing 3 buffalo just outside the camp. With full tummies, mating started with 3 of the Ximungwe again. For the past few months, the guides have been anticipating lion cubs from the Ximungwe Pride however this is obviously not the case as they are still mating on a regular basis. Hopefully the females will fall pregnant soon. With the mating in progress, there was quite a lot of interaction between the males and on one morning, a huge fight started between two of the males over a female who was trying to play the field, however, more damage was done to the males’ pride (excuse the pun!) than bodily harm.

January 2010

Two of the Mapogo disagreed over the Ximungwe females, however unfortunately, the actual incident was not seen by any of the guides, but as the photograph shows, they definitely made contact, and this particular male seems to have been the loser. Over the past several months there have been plenty of short, sharp altercations, but with nothing more than egos dented or a blood nose or lip. One would have thought that a hierarchy structure would have developed by now.

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[Potato]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e64twOUsI-g&ab_channel=SunDestinations

Early 2020

Monwana males takeover from Black Dam male

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[Potato]

https://blog.londolozi.com/2018/05/28/male-lions-fight-over-lioness/

May 2018

Birmingham Males Brawl Over Lioness Nsuku vs Tinyo

Photographs or video. Which one are you going to try capture? Decide now!


Because invariably if you try and bounce between the two during a sighting, you panic, forget to change settings, and ending up ruining both, when you could be getting something amazing.

That was pretty much the gist of it for me when two of the Birmingham males clashed wildly over an Ntsevu lioness. Grant Rodewijk and Jerry Hambana found a mating pair of lions on a large clearing overlooking the Sand River, and as the sun slowly rose in the east, tracker Freddy Ngobeni spotted another male slowly approaching from further down the hill.

The second male approaches from the direction of the Sand River.

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The first male, from his termite mound vantage point, started growling as he watched his rival approach (both were Birmingham males, but with mating rights at stake, the gloves came off in a heartbeat), the volume of each successive growl rising as the approaching male broke into a canter, coming steaming in at the run.

The approaching male comes charging in.

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[i]Teeth bared for the initial contact.[/i]

[i]

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[/i]

The next few photos of this unbelievably violent clash between two 400 pound predators I am kicking myself about, as a small Combretum tree blocked what could have been something quite worthwhile. The sounds alone were terrible to hear, with both males bellowing at each other, mane-fur flying and viciously hooked claws ripping through skin. The poor lioness meanwhile was rapidly retreating, not wanting to get caught up in the fray.

Not my favourite tree! Despite the blocked view, one still gets a great sense of the power and violence in the altercation.

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With the lioness fleeing and the fight eventually having subsided, the male who had initially been with the female took off after her again, trying hard to stay on her scent, with the second male trotting doggedly along behind. The lioness swung in a big loop, moving through some dense bushwillows and then eventually crossing a clearing into another thicket, heading back east, quite possibly changing her direction to deliberately confuse the males.

With such superb senses of smell, the two Birmingham males were on her trail again before too long, having been sniffing around within a few metres of each other, all animosity resolved.

Evidence of the fight; new cuts about the eye and a badly torn lip.

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[i]Blood runs down the foreleg of one of the males from a cut inflicted by a razor-sharp claw.[/i]

[i]

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[/i]

The lioness meanwhile was far ahead, contact calling for the rest of her pride. She shortly disappeared into a thick Tamboti stand.

The cause of all the trouble puts distance between her and the two males.

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Ironically, despite a clash that could easily have resulted in the loss of an eye or other debilitating injury, neither male appeared to come out as the conquerer, and with the lioness long gone, there was no more prize to fight over. Maybe it was simply a reestablishment of the hierarchy within the coalition. We saw similar conflicts between the Majingilane males, although we are yet to work out the exact pecking order within the Birmingham coalition.

Whatever the reason for the fight, it certainly ranks up there with the most memorable sightings of 2018 so far, and the excitement is still buzzing through me now as I type this! Reply

[Matimbalani]

I think this is one of the Tsalala lionesses that died about two years or so ago. Reply