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Lions of Sabi Sands
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 (10-09-2017, 07:07 AM)vinodkumarn Wrote: One of the comments from Dulani.. 17 members in Mhangeni pride...Othawa cubs? Its hard to get any info from the othawa pride. I just want to know how old are the cubs?Thanks  (10-09-2017, 08:37 AM)stronghold Wrote:(10-09-2017, 07:07 AM)vinodkumarn Wrote: One of the comments from Dulani.. 17 members in Mhangeni pride...Othawa cubs? Its hard to get any info from the othawa pride. I just want to know how old are the cubs?Thanks There are 2 subadults (1 male and 1 female) Born in Mid 2015.. they are nearly 2.5 year old There were 3 cubs born in 2016 end/ 2017 begining, one of them vanished initially and 2 others vanished after interaction with Mhangenis Now 2 Adults + 2 Sub-adults in the pride
Ben Cranke Wildlife Photographer with Tusk Photo at Elephant Plains Game Lodge:
(Mhangeni Pride) October 6th, 2017 We left in the early predawn darkness to try and find one of the leopards we saw yesterday. We didn't find anything, and took the opportunity to photograph some general game before we heard that a large pride of lions had been spotted. Both our vehicles headed that way immediately. We found seventeen lions in all. There were nine eighteen month old males! The large number of young males were accompanied by six lionesses. The first of our vehicles to arrive found a number of the pride strolling down the road before they found a good place to stop. When we arrived some of the pride members were drinking at a puddle, and we quickly aimed our cameras to capture those shots. The other pride members were already resting in the shade of vegetation. We stopped for our coffee break, when it started to drizzle very lightly. We received a call about a leopard right on the border of the reserve, but as we arrived, the cat unobligingly moved to the adjacent territory where we were unable to follow. So we returned to the lions, and as the sun had just set, the lions were on the move. We followed them, but could not work out how many were on the march as our spotlights could only illuminate one or two at a time, and the cats were moving through the bush. However, we were able to photograph them in ones, pairs, or small groups as they progressed through the veld until they vanished in the inky darkness into thick undergrowth. Photo of the MHANGENI PRIDE by Ben Cranke Wildlife Photographer.  *This image is copyright of its original author
Ben Cranke Wildlife Photographer with Tusk Photo at Elephant Plains Game Lodge:
(Mhangeni Pride) October 7th, 2017 Well, today was our last full day on this safari at the Sabi Sand Reserve, and we all were really hoping for a great day. And is was! Even though the day was heavily overcast, raint at times, and very dull. We started this morning with a pride of lions ... the same pride with seventeen members that we saw yesterday. They were lying sprawled out on the airstrip, where we had to use our flashes because of the poor light. When they moved into the bush on the side of the airstrip we nipped around and placed ourselves in a position to watch the lions as they walked towards us. When they walked up to and then filed right past us we had the opportunity for some close walk-by shots. We drove around for a while and stopped for a coffee break, where hornbills flew back and forth around us. It rained for much of the day but not long before it was time to set out for our afternoon game drive the rain stopped, the heavens cleared and the light improved dramatically. We searched for the lions but they had disappeared. Photo of a MHANGENI PRIDE young male by Ben Cranke Wildlife Photographer.  *This image is copyright of its original author
Can a day possibly get more exciting when you have the opportunity of tracking the largest pride of Lions on the concession...A dominating force with 17 Lions in total!
Join us at Idube Game Reserve and enjoy wildlife experiences of a lifetime!  *This image is copyright of its original author
I know it's early and there is so many but have any of the 9 males been individually named
MALAMALA TODAY: October 8th & 9th. 9 lion sightings: A spectacular storm this evening capped off 2 days of great lion viewing. The 2 Avoca males were viewed yesterday near Styx Waterhole and this morning they were found in the vicinity of a Clarendon male and a buffalo kill along Dudley Lookout. All three lions were sporting fresh battle wounds and it was the older male who was feeding on the kill. However, he may just have won battle and not the war as the Avoca males, who spent the day at a nearby pan, were making their way back towards the male. The other Clarendon male (hairy belly) was viewed about 1km further south and the Eyrefield pride were only a few hundred meters away from him. The Styx pride were seen today near Mlowathi Dam. 2 factions of the Marthly pride were found in Marthly yesterday- the tailless lioness and her niece were near Stwise and another lioness and 4 youngsters were at Matumi Rocks. 5 lionesses from the Kambula pride spent most of the day in the Sand River near Main Camp and the 6th lioness was at West Street Bridge- they joined up at sunset.
Looks like Tsalalas were split from quite some time. (4 cubs and 1 Adult as one set + 1 Cub and 1 adult) Not sure 1 Cub and 1 Adult is safe as they were not viewed from more than a week 
MFrom sabi sabi
Posted on October 9, 2017 TERRY’S CYCLE HIGHLIGHTS: SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER The first rains have come, the dust has settled, the seasonal pans are filling up and the seemingly dead grasses are showing life once more. The summer migrant birds are steadily making their way here even despite their arrivals being premature. Nature does not work on a Gregorian calendar, she sets her own pace as she decides when it will happen. We are often asked open ended questions – What will happen with this and what will happen to that? The truth is, we don’t know. Nature is unpredictable and full of exceptions, exceptions seem to be the new normality, that is what makes this place so intriguing and it’s our experiences which shape our opinions. Some of the most interesting sightings i experienced this cycle revolved around the carcass of a deceased elephant. If one could bear the awful smell, you would have witnessed the Southern Pride, the Tsalala male, hyenas and vultures, as well as the Southern Pride chasing off the Avoca males.  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author It seemed like the Southern Pride, after chasing off the Avocas, made way for a large clan of hyenas who were then displaced by two of the Tsalala males  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author It wasn’t long before the Avoca males returned and in a confident display of aggression, attacked the third Tsalala male who had only just been reunited with his brothers. Taking on 3 male lions is tough and it was very well coordinated when the Avoca males decided to focus their attention on just the one member of the coalition. This split the 3 once more sending the other two Tsalala males fleeing south with the two Avoca males in hot pursuit, who were vocalising and scent marking aggressively after the altercation. *This image is copyright of its original author This left a window of opportunity for the attacked Tsalala to flee in the opposite direction to the north but with only a bruised ego to nurse, he was lucky to get out with no other affects *This image is copyright of its original author It wasn’t long before the brothers reunited once more as the two brothers ventured back North to find their brother, however, these two coalitions battles are far from over  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author All while this commotion was going on, the Southern Pride returned to the Southern section of the reserve to keep the cubs away from the mayhem.  *This image is copyright of its original author With all the squabbles happening with the lions, the vultures and hyenas had a free pass at the elephant carcass, devouring the rotting meat in double quick time just in case there was an untimely return by the lions. Even if they did return, the hyenas would have struggled to run away thanks to their distended stomachs!  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author The Avoca males did return a week later in their attempt to rid the area of all opposing lions. These boys are fierce and have wreaked havoc during their time but will certainly be a force.  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author The end of the dry season has come, and those that have made it through this time set to breathe a sigh of relief. This can be short lived as the dynamic nature of wild Africa will always keep its inhabitants guessing and even ourselves are left wondering what the future may bring.  *This image is copyright of its original author Till next cycle… BLOG BY TERRY ENNEVER (SELATI CAMP RANGER) Source:https://www.sabisabi.com/blog/14457/terr...eroctober/
MalaMala Game Reserve update, Oct. 9
5 lionesses from the Kambula pride spent most of the day in the Sand River near Main Camp and the 6th lioness was at West Street Bridge- they joined up at sunset. photo credit: S. Hatano  *This image is copyright of its original author
Mhangene pride watching hyenas approaching their kill.
Image by Stuart Buy LeopardHills
Tsalala/Marthly males,SabiSabi a month ago.
Photo credit to L.Goehle  *This image is copyright of its original author They must be happy that they are alive! May be a lesson that will help them to thrive in future!!  (10-11-2017, 01:21 AM)vinodkumarn Wrote: Tsalala/Marthly males,SabiSabi a month ago. That looks conspicuously like a gunshot wound. |
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