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.
(08-12-2021, 06:10 PM)Mdz123 Wrote: I heard that Drealdlocks was a very big lion and the largest in the Mapogos. Is this really true?
Along side with Makhulu he was the largest among Mapogos, but how you he compare to others, there is no way to really find out as there are not any active measurings of lions withing Kruger National park. The only informations in that regards are the opiniiong of guides working with those lions which sometimes shares their opinion on which lion was the bigger in comparison to the other.
The following 1 user Likes Potato's post:1 user Likes Potato's post • BA0701
Information by Cathan Moore Bush Manic: Things are certainly starting to heat up in the Central regions of the Timbavati and by that, I’m not just referring to the fast approaching Spring… As blustery August gusted in, no one could’ve ever imagine the shift in lion dynamics that would take place over the next 10 days and since my last update on the movements of the Riverpride and Skorro males, things seemed to have taken an even more interesting turn!
With the Riverpride on the run, testing new waters beyond their stomping grounds, A void has been left in their once safe Eden. This has meant that we’ve seen the Mayambula pride re-emerge from the South-east and brazenly push into the Riverprides territory, meeting up with the still present skorro males who seem content with their recent success. As expected, one Skorro male began mating with a Mayambula lioness as all of their sub-adults born in 2019 had just recently been sent packing by the late Nharhu brother (Xitaya).
Things had just seemed to have settled down when the Riverpride fugitives were found marching back from the north into the heart of their home turf and then proceeded to maintain their southernly movement seeing them disappear over our most southern traversing boundary. The one positive to take from this brief encounter is that all 4 cubs and 1 sub-adult were present, including the injured sister who has recovered remarkably well and keeping up with her family.
Now for the plot twist: aided by the sounds of a bellowing buffalo, I located 7 females from the Mayambula pride along the banks of the machaton. This is by far the furtherest North I’ve seen them trek and with the news of a new pride (8 individuals) up on Simbavati along with the western pride, we could see some conflict as lions pick up on the scent of the dead buffalo and storm in. Additionally, tracks for the Skorro males were identified; hot on the tails of these Mayambula lionesses - we can expect to see them soon emerging at the kill.
(08-12-2021, 06:38 PM)Tonpa Wrote: Has there been any news on the expelled Mayambula sub-adults? How many are there and have they been seen anytime recently?
There are now only 5 adult females in the pride so by the newly update on that pride we know that at least some sub adult females are with a core pride, hopefully all of them. Sub adult males probably are somewhere in the old stomping grounds to the south east from Tanda Tula where they have safe zone with no adult male lions that could have threaten them.
(08-12-2021, 06:38 PM)Tonpa Wrote: Has there been any news on the expelled Mayambula sub-adults? How many are there and have they been seen anytime recently?
(08-12-2021, 03:27 AM)Timbavati Wrote: Update: I finally received an confirmation regarding the skull of the Black dam male. Friends that are working in the bushveld (who also always provided incredible sources) they've confirmed that the skull of the BDM was the third largest ever measured in Africa.
Absolutely incredible! It was clear that he was a very big male, and it isn't like his head was disproportionately large for his body, I had no idea that he was that big. Wow!!
Indeed. He was a fine specimen of male lion, I doubt if we someday will see such a big male as he was.
"Indeed. He was a fine specimen of male lion.." Couldn't agree more
"...I doubt if we someday will see such a big male as he was."
Here is where I disagree. the GKNP ecosystem is too vast to not have specimens such as the BDM waiting in the wings. In fact, there are already individuals who aren't very far off from the BDM in size (i.e. Zig Zag Mbiri, Nsemani Mbiri, Leeubron males, Ngotso males, etc.).
That being said, however, the BDM having the 3rd largest skull measured in Africa is phenomenal!
I'm sure most lion skulls in the wild never get measured after the lion dies. I wouldn't be surprised if Zig Zag Mbiri, Nsemani Mbiri, Leeubron male, YBM, DM avoca, had equally large or similar sized skulls.
Oh yeah, the Brutus family tree definitely has some large heads lol. They have the skulls of Mr T and Kinky Tail in Nhkoro on display but I guess there was nothing noteworthy about those two… but I do believe the Mlowathi Males have been average sized lions.
(08-12-2021, 09:24 PM)Gijima Wrote: Oh yeah, the Brutus family tree definitely has some large heads lol. They have the skulls of Mr T and Kinky Tail in Nhkoro on display but I guess there was nothing noteworthy about those two… but I do believe the Mlowathi Males have been average sized lions.
(08-12-2021, 09:24 PM)Gijima Wrote: Oh yeah, the Brutus family tree definitely has some large heads lol. They have the skulls of Mr T and Kinky Tail in Nhkoro on display but I guess there was nothing noteworthy about those two… but I do believe the Mlowathi Males have been average sized lions.
Yes you're right. The Mlowathi males were average sized lions, Like the other Mapogo males, except for Dreadlocks and Makhulu.
(08-12-2021, 09:24 PM)Gijima Wrote: Oh yeah, the Brutus family tree definitely has some large heads lol. They have the skulls of Mr T and Kinky Tail in Nhkoro on display but I guess there was nothing noteworthy about those two… but I do believe the Mlowathi Males have been average sized lions.
Yes you're right. The Mlowathi males were average sized lions, Like the other Mapogo males, except for Dreadlocks and Makhulu.
I do not think so. There you can read opinion of James Tyrell on Majingilanes and KNP males:
"Todd these are indeed very big males, definitely bigger that the Majingilane. They have been around our Southern areas once or twice more since this sighting, and their paw prints alone dwarf those of the Majingilane. As Thelma says, 4 vs 2 might be too much for them to handle if they do bump into one another, and with one of the Kruger males having a lame hip, it would be fair to assume that the Majingilane males would come out on top in an encounter"
and the opinion of Sabi Sabi guide Ben Coley on KNP male and 2 last Mapogos which even through very in good condition, they were defninitelly well past their prime:
"Thanks for all the comments everyone. I hope it was a fitting article for such an influential coalition! News from the fight yesterday morning is that one was seen briefly with quite bad injuries to his testicles amongst other areas…but we don’t know the extent of the injuries just yet. We did find tracks for one deep in south of the reserve this morning but couldn’t locate him. It seems I underestimated the Kruger males. Although the remaining Mapogo are larger, I can only posit that their desire has left them and they merely seek to live out the rest of their days in relative peace."
08-13-2021, 12:57 AM( This post was last modified: 08-13-2021, 01:05 AM by Tr1x24 )
Skull of ~ 4.5 year old 5th Majingilane is bigger then prime KT Mapogo.
A lot of these rangers words are just speculation and impression, not 100% fact, until you see lions side by side, because difference in size is minimal in most cases.
Pawn size is barely a factor, Tinyo prob has biggest pawns around, and he is not a big lion..
I dont think any of Mapogos or Majingilanes where some above avarage lions in size.
Dreadlocks size is overexaggerate, he was most muscular and bulkiest, with biggest mane of the Mapogos, but in size (lenght/height) he was around the same size as others, or slightly bigger, mrT and Dreadlocks :
*This image is copyright of its original author
I also dont think Kruger males where above average or big males, Freddy and Limper where similar in size, and when Freddy partnered Solo, Solo was bigger lion then him (althrough Freddy was old then)
