Lions of Sabi Sands

[BA0701]

(Today, 12:57 AM)Duco Ndona Wrote:

(Today, 12:16 AM)BA0701 Wrote:

(Yesterday, 10:59 PM)Duco Ndona Wrote: becoming brave enough to attack prides outside his roaming area this fast is pretty much nhil.

While I agree with a lot of what you said, but, this is a little anthropomorphic, no? For starters, I do not believe any wild creature lacks for bravery or courage, however those are human traits, for wild creatures there is only survival, period, and surviving in the wild is not for the feint of heart. Secondly, we have been following the Tumbelas, for years, and the only time we have witnessed them being fearful was before their taking over the Othawa Pride, and at that point they had lost a brother during their nomadic travels, and everything in the bush wanted to kill the rest of them. 99% of all male lions are fearful and skittish during this stage of their lives, only one that wasn't, that I recall was, strangely enough, Othawa Male, and that is only because he didn't really have a nomadic stage, he walked away from the Othawa Pride, and ran straight into the Manghenis.

All three of the remaining Tumbelas never demonstrated any aggression towards other lions, even towards a 15 year old male, from who they intended on taking his pride. We have only seen defensive postures when attacked, or the typical showing of dominance towards one another that comes with being in a coalition. Skorro Jr has been on his own, for a few years now, living with lasting injuries that obviously hamper his ability to hunt, at times, an old lion, like he is, does not accomplish that if he lacks what we might view as courage, or lives in fear. If that fact alone, is not enough to show anyone that he doesn't lack for "bravery", then I don't know what else to say to those people.

Using terms such as "brave enough" can only be viewed as meant to imply the opposite, as in lacking in "bravery" or "courage", or perhaps having "cowardice". None of these terms have a place in any discussion about any wild creature. People have said the same sort of things about Nkuhuma Male, and in those instances those words were equally misplaced.

A perfect example might be what literally just happened involving Kruger Male. He stood his ground, in the face of an obviously stronger force, until it became clear that to remain would have ended very badly for him. Was the fact that he ran away, while literally being surrounded, a sign that he wasn't brave enough? Absolutely not, in fact I believe it was a perfect example of the intelligence that he possesses, an intelligence that has allowed him to survive for all of these years as a lone male, and that allows him, at this advanced age, to still have the drive to become territorial and dominant yet again. Will it happen? I don't know, but for as smart as he clearly is, I would not bet against him, that much is for sure.

I am not denying that he can do it. We know he is confident enough to hunt big game and approach prides. 
I just find it very hard to believe it happened considering the timeframe. Which would imply that in just a few days he joined another lion and got accustomed with him to the point of becoming uncharacteristically aggressive to prides. Which is just to fast for him to be a believable suspect.

On that, I am in total agreement with you. Let's just say, as an individual male lion, such behavior would be out of character for him, from what we understand his character to be, at this point. He has certainly partnered up with other males who have such histories, so anything is possible, but in his case, and for all he has shown us over several years now, I'd want to see some proof. Reply