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.
Sparta Pride- Death of the Second to Last Lioness
Credit: Josh Van Der Ploeg
*This image is copyright of its original author
This is an old picture of an Avoca male with a younger lioness from the Eyrefield pride.
It is a weird feeling looking through photographs and seeing the animals immortalized there, even though their lifespan is far shorter than the “lifespan” of this image.
This lioness was never able to fall pregnant. When she met her untimely death over a year ago, the autopsy revealed that she had an old wound - a puncture through her uterine wall. Fluid from her body cavity had caused septicemia which had also prevented any fertilized embryos from ever settling in her uterus.
(01-18-2021, 06:38 PM)sundarbans Wrote: I find it quite strange that the Mhangeni pride has 5 adult females yet only 2 have given birth yet and the litters themselves were of only two cubs each. Are the younger females not sexually mature yet or are the older females unable to breed anymore?
Yep. These 5 females are well within reproductive age, yet only 2 or 3 have given birth. There were 6 cubs initially, but only 3 were seen in the most recently footage. I think 3 lionesses have given birth out of the 5 so far. I haven't heard the other 2 denning yet. It is certain that Pretty Girl (Big Boy's littermate and "twin" in terms of looks) has not given birth at all, however she already turned 5 last month. I believe the other Manjing. daughter has given birth to 2, but lost both of them.
We don't know if Pretty Girl is infertile until she starts mating with other males and doesn't conceive with them as well. It could be that she's not responsive to the Othawa Male specifically. Only time will tell. After all, he is more related to the 2 Majing. lionesses than to the older ones, but he's also related to them as well.
In addition, the OM came to the Pride as a 3 year old, so some of the lionesses might see him as more of an older brother/protector than as a hot father figure.....He never really had a long nomadic life, or has been tested much. Could be a combination of factors.
The OM has been with these lionesses over 2 years now, and if he waits until these 3 or 4 cubs reach 2 years old, he'll have been with them over 4! That's a long time to be with the same pride of related females.
It is a possibility that the lionesses perhaps aren't receptive towards him as a dominant male. Coalitions around him such as the Avocas and Birminghams managed to sire cubs very quickly after taking over the prides. The Othawa Male seems to be a slow breeder in comparison.
I saw some people talking about this on FB, they said some of the cubs were spared by the majingilane males, whiile one lioness (who was the last adult) was killed by the Othawas.
After that only the subs remained, one male and a few females. The male went nomadic and joined someone called "scar" and disappared after that. Another female went missing around this time too.
The final two survived until 2020 when one of them died, leaving behind the current female.
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