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Lions of Sabi Sands
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K4 is alone mating with 2 females for idk how many days by now.
If the BDM show the tenacity to ambush and knock him out, I think they win the war on the spot, but I don't feel like they'll try to bring the fight to the Kambula, they are more or less waiting to see the Kambula's move while hoping they'll go away.  (01-26-2024, 07:01 AM)Mapokser Wrote: If the BDM show the tenacity to ambush and knock him out,Indeed. They seem to be remarkably passive for fully grown adult males. We've seen single males with more agression even when outnumbered, especially against inexperienced males. Could be because they haven't actually sired any cubs, who knows what goes on in their heads?? For their part, the Kambulas also seem to be rather passive and fidgety, if I may use that term. Bit of a phoney war, really. The longer it goes on, the more it favours the Kambulas I'd imagine as they're only likely to gain confidence as they mature. 
If I’m not mistaken I think it’s the passive 3 that attacked the nkuhuma male a year ago right? I believe k3 or k4 was in southern sabi sands recovering from a gijima attack but it is very odd that only one wants to mate and take a pride
 (01-26-2024, 11:17 AM)Wyld@Heart Wrote:(01-26-2024, 07:01 AM)Mapokser Wrote: If the BDM show the tenacity to ambush and knock him out,Indeed. They seem to be remarkably passive for fully grown adult males. We've seen single males with more agression even when outnumbered, especially against inexperienced males. Could be because they haven't actually sired any cubs, who knows what goes on in their heads?? Yh it’s a very weird situation. The only good thing going for the BDMs is that they seem to have the prides backing so even if they can’t deal with the Kambulas, I guess they could create a breakaway. U could say that’s what we’re starting to see with 2 Nkuhuma females searching out Kambula males but obviously long term I’d expect them to control the main pride and BDMs are the ones forced to create the breakaway. Well another Nkuhuma breakaway, that is.  (01-22-2024, 12:32 AM)Tonpa Wrote: "A skinny, unidentified young male lion in our area, was spotted trailing a small herd of buffaloes who’s been hanging around the same area for 3 days. WE Male on a kill alone. by phoebebor  *This image is copyright of its original author
Sometimes takeovers dont happen "over night", yet it takes many months to happen, so this is normal situation.
Kambulas (or atleast K4) is mating and are carving their first territory, so in a way they are happy, BDMs also dont mind that 4 males are not pushing harder, as they also have access to some NK females. Currently is stale situation, but Kambulas will prob prevail due to their numbers. Also, i dont like comparisons to some past legendary coalitions. Not all lions are the same, some mature quickly, have more testosterone, more confidence, yet some are more cautious and take things slowly, but that doesnt mean that they are less worthy or something. Both Kambulas and BDMs are playing their cards slowly and with cautious, which is ok, its their lifes at stakes. Looks like people want to see action and bloodbath...this is not a movie.
@Wyld@Heart I'm of the opinion that males don't fight any harder if they have cubs, like thinking "I guess I must try harder for the future of my offspring", no doubt they have instincts to not hurt them and protect them if they are seeing a threat to them, but they show little interest on them when they get ousted and go nomadic. But who knows, like you said, we don't know what goes on their mind, maybe cubs affect how they act somehow.
Still, I'm pretty sure lions and any othet cats are at their most aggressive when there are females in heat, which is the case here, but still the BDM are just chilling, I think it's just their personality. (01-26-2024, 11:54 PM)Mapokser Wrote: I'm of the opinion that males don't fight any harder if they have cubs, like thinking "I guess I must try harder for the future of my offspring", no doubt they have instincts to not hurt them and protect them if they are seeing a threat to them, but they show little interest on them when they get ousted and go nomadic. But who knows, like you said, we don't know what goes on their mind, maybe cubs affect how they act somehow.Definitely not anything like a maternal instinct, more of a sense that this territory s actually ours. A little more depth to the feeling of having something to defend. I think they'd be much more aggressive and the females less accepting of the intruders with young cubs in the mix but that's my no means a given. @Tr1x24 definitely not comparing indivdiual lions across the years and you're absolutely right in that takeovers happen in different ways. Simply an observation that it's remarkable how passive two prime 'territorial' males are. Quite a thing, to me at least.
Monday 22 January 2024
(01-29-2024, 01:52 PM)Tonpa Wrote: Monday 22 January 2024 Some interesting stuff here. When BDM and Kambula were mating with a lioness each on the 24th they were 1.2km away from each other. Close enough to hear each other vocalising. On the 25th the Kambula male was 800m south from his original location with three lionesses now. On the 26th the foursome were 3KM further south almost at the londolozi border. On the 27th we had the BDM on WildEarth in south central Djuma. and on the 28th the foursome had moved back north with one one lionesss remaining with the Kambula male, the full pride including the young male were 500m to 1km away depending on which part of the road they were on. The BDM were back to their original spot on the airstrip some 2.5-3km away from all the others.  (01-29-2024, 10:28 PM)NLAL11 Wrote: @Tonpa Can I ask, when Elephant Plains post these weekly updates on their blog, are they covering just the Elephant Plains section as we see it on the Sabi Sands map, or do these sightings cover a wider area? The northern areas. From EP itself all the way to cheetah plains in the east and then up to the manyeleti border with buffelshoek. (01-29-2024, 11:13 PM)Tonpa Wrote:(01-29-2024, 10:28 PM)NLAL11 Wrote: @Tonpa Can I ask, when Elephant Plains post these weekly updates on their blog, are they covering just the Elephant Plains section as we see it on the Sabi Sands map, or do these sightings cover a wider area? I had a feeling but thanks for confirming this. Seemed unlikely that all these lions were hanging out in such a small area. |
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