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Majingilane Coalition Male Lineage

Poland Potato Offline
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"So i was browsing thru this tread and i notice that there isnt any post of the Styx males sightings from few months ago in Kruger,maybe there is in another thread idk. "

It was there : https://wildfact.com/forum/topic-coalitions-of-kruger-national-park?page=37 althrought with not so much pictures.

"After this sighting, people in that area confirmed that this lions where seen around there for quite some time, since 2017, and that Long mane has that injury for quite some time now."

He had that injury yet when he was still seen at Sabi Sands so indeed for long time already.
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United Kingdom Brahim Offline
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Sad news big boy mhangeni has been found dead

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Croatia Tr1x24 Offline
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(11-29-2019, 03:33 PM)Brahimlegend Wrote: Sad news big boy mhangeni has been found dead

Devastating news... He is my favorit lion.. 

I was a bit worried from the latest pictures and videos of him, he was getting skinnier after he was not longer seen with Nkuhuma male, and recently starting to lose mane again..

It seems that some consequences from that terrible mange where still there, and without regular meal suply and stress from beign alone again, they came to surface..

RIP Mhangeni Big Boy, The Legend of Sabi Sands.

I will do a tribute/retrospective of his life in a few days, i will post it here.
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Blondemane Offline
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@Tr1x24 I understand your sadness, hope you feel better soon. We create a bond with this cats, follow them almost everyday, its hard when this things happen. i saw the footage from "africa experience" and he seems pretty ok, so this is kinda strange, i have no ideia what happen to him, maybe the mange eventually created a problem with his immune system, stress of being alone + scarce of food, i really dont know. 
Things may not have ended well for him, but he fought and won many "battles" and above all lived free.
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Croatia Tr1x24 Offline
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(11-30-2019, 12:58 AM)Blondemane Wrote: @Tr1x24 I understand your sadness, hope you feel better soon. We create a bond with this cats, follow them almost everyday, its hard when this things happen. i saw the footage from "africa experience" and he seems pretty ok, so this is kinda strange, i have no ideia what happen to him, maybe the mange eventually created a problem with his immune system, stress of being alone + scarce of food, i really dont know. 
Things may not have ended well for him, but he fought and won many "battles" and above all lived free.

He looked great just 1.5 months ago, in the best shape of his life, with a little mohawk starting to grown, sighted few times with Nkuhuma pride on safari live.
After that he permanently separeted from Nkuhuma boy, and things went downhill it seems. Nothing from him until 3 weeks ago a video of Africa Journey Experience, he looked just diffrent, smaller mane, his skin becoming more yellowish with few pretty big black spots around belly and elbows. 

Another video week ago him passing by, he was pretty far away, he looked overall good but mane was getting even more smaller.

And the last video 2 days ago, laying down 50 m from Nkuhuma pride.. He looked rly in bad condition, lost almost all his mane except some under his neck,and looked more like a lion from the begining of the year. 

From the James Hendrys instagram, when the vets looked at his body, its definetly that he got mange back, but not yet that bad. 

I agree about immune system, he for sure had consequences from that mange he survived, which was a miracle itself. And after a regular food suply from the pride vanished, his prob weak immune system couldn't handle that, he got mange back, and even in this early stages was enough to kill him. 

They said that they will make an autopsy, we'll see for sure what was the cause, if they will report it.
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Blondemane Offline
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It must be one of the most harder part of their lifes, when they have to leave the pride and face the world, when they no longer have the pride to help in finding food and some kind of security. To be honest was not expecting this sad situation at all. I always thought that mangheni and NK male would form a coalition but seems they had other plans for themselves...from "africa jorney exp" Nk young male was spotted roaming into londolozi. 
The reasons of the death, i really wanna know but we have to wait to see the results of autopsy, we can only speculate now, but lets wait to see.
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Poland Potato Offline
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There is a bit more light to death of Mhangeni male. I do not think it is starvation. He wasn't in great condition recently, but he wasn't really bad either. I would bet on either snake bite or some disease.



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Mohawk4 Offline
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RIP Big Boy

FB page :Lions Of The African Wildlife

When once there were 12 special lions
Every now and then there are animals born you immediately connect to. The 12 Mhangeni sub adults were such lions. 12 precious lives that - as short as they may were - left deep paw prints in the hearts of many people. Whoever wants to learn about a lions life, whoever wants to try and grab only a glimpse of their reality, this one shall hear about nine young males and three young females who lived up to the pure meaning of endurance. I remember the early days of 2018 when a young group of lions, most of them not even two years old, was abandoned by their mothers and left to their fate. Without the physical growth, without the necessary experiences to survive. But it wasn’t the end. Life seemed to stick to them like wax. And it was during this time that I found myself taking pleasure in the thought they could indeed make it. And the small flame grew with each sighting. The first time they scavenged from a leopard. The first time they chased the Styx pride from a kill. The first time they successfully hunted for their own. Who doesn’t remember the battle in the night when they faced a whole buffalo herd, the coats black from mud and blood but they held to the buffalo calf they successfully dragged into the muddy river. Who doesn’t remember when they all together brought down a fully grown buffalo cow on their own. I for myself will remember all of this. The day they stood up against a hyena clan till the moment mange sentenced them to death. They were kids, forced to survive in a world of adults. Left with no choice but to become soldiers who defied the rules of nature as long as they could. Big boy was the last of them to resist. A young male lion who built up a legend that even surpasses those of the ones who lived to become old.
He was a soldier of the Sands. Honor him.


#ignijam





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Croatia Tr1x24 Offline
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MHANGENI BIG BOY AND TRAGIC DESTINY OF MHANGENI SUB-ADULTS
This is story about Mhangeni Boys and sisters,and their unbeliveble journey,story that needs to be tell and never be forgotten ... they deserve it!

Part 1.

Mhangeni Big Boy and his 8 brothers and 3 sisters where born into Mhangeni pride,Big Boy was born in the older litter in December 2015 with his 2 sisters, rest of them was born few weeks/months later.
Their mothers where daughters of the notorious Mapogo coalition and their fathers where mighty Majingilane coalition, 2 greatest genes in recent hystory of Sabi Sands. Big Boy was most likely son of Golden Mane Majingilane because of big similarity in the looks between them.

Mhangeni Big Boy as a cub with his sister and mom:


*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 youngsters and the pride thrived in western sector ,under the protection of their mighty fathers:






Mhangeni pride and 3 Majingilanes on a kill in December 2017:





Towards the 2018,boys are getting bigger and where starting to develop little manes. The biggest and oldest amongs them was named Big Boy because of his appearence among the brothers.

Young Big Boy with his brothers/sisters and pride:


*This image is copyright of its original author


*This image is copyright of its original author



*This image is copyright of its original author


*This image is copyright of its original author


Mhangeni boys and sisters:


*This image is copyright of its original author


*This image is copyright of its original author



*This image is copyright of its original author


But then in early 2018 tragedy strike the pride, their fathers Golden Mane,Scar Nose and Dark Mane Majingilanes started disappearing in February/March and eventually dying 1 after another due to an old age.
The lionesses where left on their own of raising and feeding 12 big 2 years old sub-adults.

That task seems to have been too hard for them. New coalition from the north, BBoys, started to moving in this area ,further to the east. Their mothers decided to move closer to them,starting to hang out with new males and mating with them,abandoning their 12 sub-adults at only 2 years of age. Their decision is imposible to explain,we will never know the real cause of it.

So the 12 young sub-adults where left on their own, at only 2 years old,with little hunting experience,by that time it was clear that not all of 12 sub-adults will survive to the adulthood.
They become nomadic,roaming thru western sector and all the way to Sabi Sabi, avoiding troubles ,trying to find food and survive. They didnt have any other options, they will need to adapt.
And they did,even at only 2 yrs old they had a few pretty big buffalo kills,which was remarkable.

March 2018,at Sabi Sabi, unbeliveble fight against a heard of buffalos,managing to snap a buffalo calf from them and drag him into the water:







*This image is copyright of its original author



*This image is copyright of its original author


Another big Buffalo takedown:


*This image is copyright of its original author



*This image is copyright of its original author


In the May 2018 they had a conflict with Othawa pride and young Othawa male Nguvu in western sector, they clearly showed the sub - adults that they are not welcome here anymore:






*This image is copyright of its original author


They where too young, yes, but they where fighters,1 for all,all for 1. They made many kills, and steals from leopards to even prides,they manage to steal a kill from a whole Styx pride.

Even sharing kills with other lions,in this case with their step-brothers in Tsalala males:





In the June 2018,they where still in good condition,but lost 1 brother and 2 sisters reunited with their mothers,they where now known as Mhangeni 9 in June/July.





Female lioness, littermate of Big Boy ,still with the boys,she is one of them and will be to the end:


*This image is copyright of its original author


Their biggest problem for the youngsters where the hyenas,who would harass them on every occasion:


*This image is copyright of its original author


They where seen in the north with Nkuhuma pride together on a buffalo kill (and that was the first contact of Big Boy with Nkuhuma pride):


*This image is copyright of its original author


But August of 2018 was the time when all went downhill. They where getting separeted and scattered on numerous occassions,skinnier and skinnier,malnutritioned etc.. Which all lead to them getting very bad stage of disease which will sealed their fate at the end, only enemy that this youngsters would not overcome - mange.


*This image is copyright of its original author


*This image is copyright of its original author


They where mostly in the south, separeted into smaller gruops,and nobody knew how many where still alive. 

Some where seen with Sparta pride and S. Avocas few times:


*This image is copyright of its original author


Big Boy was roaming in Sabi Sabi with his 3 brothers:


*This image is copyright of its original author


In the late August they where again seen in western sector:


*This image is copyright of its original author


In September,all scattered,1 youngster found his sister who rejoined the Mhangeni pride earlier,and started to following the pride,unfortunatly their mothers had new cubs already,they growled and chased him away (Londolozi report). What has to go thru this desperate youngsters head when he sees that his own mother is attacking and rejecting him,again... :


*This image is copyright of its original author


Its assumed that in September 2018,most of them disapeared and died out of mange,starvation and other predators. Big Boys littermate sister was one of them (the one on the earlier photo),she was not that lucky like her 2 sisters who rejoined the pride.

Here is the photo of some of them in the Londolozi:

*This image is copyright of its original author


In that time,there was first reports of 2 young Mhangeni males,in very bad condition from mange, following Nkuhuma pride,and in early October there was a first sighting of the Big Boy and his brother,alongside with 1 young Talamati male from the north:


*This image is copyright of its original author


After few weeks,another Mhangeni sub-adult joined his 2 brothers and Talamati male in following Nkuhuma pride,its was the sub-adult who was seen following Mhangeni pride in Londolozi, rejected by his mother again:


*This image is copyright of its original author


Nkuhumas tried numerous time to chase,scare,beat this youngsters away,but they where desperate,hopeless,just lying there,they knew if they leave they are dead anyway...
They where getting closer every day,trying to get much needed meal, leftovers from the pride.

Big Boy tying to eat alongside Blondie Avoca who doesnt like that:


*This image is copyright of its original author


Oldest Nkuhuma lioness,called Nana (legendary Nkuhuma lioness,known for her hip injury), was the first lioness that helped and accepted the youngsters:


*This image is copyright of its original author


Nkuhuma pride with 3 Mhangeni sub-adults and 1 Talamati young male drinking in late October 2018:


*This image is copyright of its original author
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Croatia Tr1x24 Offline
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( This post was last modified: 12-01-2019, 08:53 PM by Tr1x24 )

Part 2.

3 Mhangeni sub-adults where still with Nkuhuma pride in early November,but 2 younger ones where in bad condition.

Photo of the 3 on 1. November 2018:


*This image is copyright of its original author


Eventually 1 of the younger ones disapeared thru mid November.

Another 1 appeared in Sabi Sabi at that time,later on was seen with Southern Pride,but he was in bad condition,he disappeared/died shortly after:


*This image is copyright of its original author


2 Mhangenis and 1 Talamati boy at 1. December 2018 in Djuma:


*This image is copyright of its original author


Talamati male eventually left this area and rejoin his brother, Big Boys little brother was in bad condition,and eventually went missing and died thru mid december.
Big Boy was alone, the last of his brothers,good news for him was that pride is more and more fine with him being around.


*This image is copyright of its original author


Thru mid January 2019. it seems that he was fully accepted into the pride,especially close with Nana and her son Nkuhuma young male, his condition was getting better aswell.

Nana,Nkuhuma male and Big Boy:


*This image is copyright of its original author


Big Boy and Nkuhuma young male bonding:


*This image is copyright of its original author


*This image is copyright of its original author


Big Boy thrived in the pride for months,recovering well and even starting to grown his mane again:


*This image is copyright of its original author


*This image is copyright of its original author


But in the May 2019. another tragedy,oldest lioness Nana was found dead,she was the most closest to the young Big Boy,second mother to him.

One of the last sightings of Big Boy with his beloved Nana:


*This image is copyright of its original author


*This image is copyright of its original author


Cause of her death we will never know for sure,some speculation was that she got injured in defending two young boys against dominant N.Avoca males.
In the May, N.Avocas where starting to pressure two young males,they where around 3 years old,so their time with the pride will come to and end soon.
In the June, Avocas agression towards them where increased even more,constantly fighting each others. For that reasons 2 young boys where seen less and less with the pride and more on their own or with few lionesses with them separeted.


*This image is copyright of its original author


*This image is copyright of its original author


*This image is copyright of its original author


In July they where often hanging alone with the 1 lioness:


*This image is copyright of its original author


Mhangeni Big Boy stealing a kill from 10 members of Styx pride alone (there was i video of him jumping into 10 Styx members and claiming the kill, i couldnt find it, if somebody has it pls share) and defending it against countless hyenas,his arch enemies from the past,but he isnt affraid anymore,he is the big guy now:








At the end of July,two boys got separeted, Big Boy headed south and was seen with his old friend, Talamati male and his brother with Southern Pride. Nkuhuma male meanwhile was seen in Londolozi,hanging out with one of his fathers,injured Nsuku.

Big Boy in the south with Southern pride:






*This image is copyright of its original author


But that was a brief visit, S.P and Talamati males left into Kruger,on a path that Big Boy wasnt ready yet,he wasnt ready to left behind his family,his pride,which gave him second life. Towards the mid August 2019,two boys reunited and where seen again in the north with Nkuhuma pride,but their pride now has new cubs with N.Avocas, dominant Avocas wont tolerate them anymore around little cubs and chased them away again.

They where seen in the late August in Londolozi,trying to challenge 6 Kambula pride lionesses over a kill, but Kambulas had numbers and chased them:



*This image is copyright of its original author


*This image is copyright of its original author


In September two boys where less and less seen together,they occassionaly visit the Nkuhuma pride when Avocas where not around.

Handsome Big Boy watching Nkuhuma pride and cubs from the distance in absence of the Avocas:


*This image is copyright of its original author


Amber Eyes wasnt too happy about his presents around the cubs,but he was stuborn and eventually succeded at the end, at the thing that he wanted,to be with them:





Big Boy was very often seen lying on the top of the termite mound, it seems that he just loved that spot, in this photo he defends it against buffalo heard:


*This image is copyright of its original author


Lonely Big Boy calling his partner and the pride on top of the termite mound, he just wants companionship:





Late September,one of the last sightings of 2 boys together with some pride members:


*This image is copyright of its original author


Big Boy feeding on impala kill,with more then 10 hyenas watching, respecting the power of the young male:






In October Big Boy was mostly on his own, even in the same area, 2 boys where not seen together, Nkuhuma male was mostly with his sister, he seems to be more independet type of lion,and coalition of these 2 was less and less likely.

Big Boy was again seen few times following Nkuhuma pride, this is his last sighting on SafariLive, show on which he was the biggest star thru 2019:


*This image is copyright of its original author


*This image is copyright of its original author


*This image is copyright of its original author


*This image is copyright of its original author


This period he spent more time beign alone then ever in his life,but to the mid November things seemed good for Big Boy,he was hanging mostly around Arathusa and Elephant plains,close to Nkuhumas.

Then we haved this sighting of him on 14. November:





Maybe slightly lost some weight and mane,but nothing for concerne

Next sighting was on 22.November,1 week before his death:





Again,not much different from the last sighting, maybe slightly smaller mane. Little do we knew at that time that this sighting will be the last recording of Big Boy passing by...

And then the last sightning on 26.November, 3 days before his death,sleeping 50 m away from Nkuhuma pride:





Its hard to tell because hes lying down,but it seems that he lost some condition,but not too bad,but bigger concerne was his mane,it was clearly visible that he lost big portion of his mane.

He was following his family,his pride to the very end...

And then it happened, 29. November, Big Boy was found in early morning dead in the south in Chitwa Chitwa,lying under the tree in the shade, 2 m from the road, only few days/weeks of his 4th birthday:


*This image is copyright of its original author


*This image is copyright of its original author


Crew from SafariLive came to the place first, then called the Sabi Sands people who looked him, no signs of injuries on his body, few spots of mange on him, he lost most of his mane, only some was seen still under his neck, they first mistaken him for Nkuhuma boy because of that. Cause of death is unknown, they said that they will make an autopsy to see what killed him.
We can only speculate what happened, he prob had some health issues as a consequences of that terrible mange and malnutrition that he had as a youngster, bad immune system because of that, stress from those times in his life and now again as a lone young male, something that he hated the most, being alone, etc. 
Maybe we find out some day.



With Big Boys death, ended the heartbreaking and one of the most tragic stories in hystory of Sabi Sands, story of the Mhangeni sub-adults and their fight against "all odds", fight against the "World". Theres many "what if" around this story, what if their mothers didnt abandon them,what if Majingilanes lived 1 more year?? Would we get the biggest and greatest coalition of all-time? A coalition that even their mighty fathers and legendary Mapogos in their prime would not dare to stand against?? We can only dream now...
Their legacy still lives in their 2 surviving sisters, they have great future ahead of them, with many cubs to come.
Mhangeni sub - adults and their story will never be forgotten...

And at last Mhangeni Big Boy..
He was the first and the last Mhangeni Boy, tried his best to protect,save his younger brothers, but life was just too cruel. I think this left a scar on him later on, there was something in his eyes,in his looks, that breaks my heart, i think he never get over the loss of his beloved brothers and sister. He was a special lion, different, everybody knew about the last Mhangeni male and his story, because of that he was the most famous lion of Sabi Sands even at his young age. He inspired and touched thousands of people worldwide with his determination for life,survival,family,companionship,friendship and much more. I never saw this kind of impact from any lion until him, and prob never will anymore, and because of that he is up there with the most Legendary lions of Sabi Sands.

Farewell Mhangeni Big Boy, The Legend of Sabi Sands, you wont be forgotten!! (December 2015 - 29.11.2019.)
You are not alone anymore, you are now reunited with your brothers and sister,your fathers and your beloved Nana.


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Poland Potato Offline
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Othawa male

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Croatia Tr1x24 Offline
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Mhangeni Big Boy, as a cub.


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United States Peteporker Offline
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(11-13-2019, 10:15 PM)Tr1x24 Wrote: Fourways male

The oldest Majingilane son, September 2019 near Transport Dam in KNP.
He was with unrelated male.


*This image is copyright of its original author



*This image is copyright of its original author

Any other news on these guys? Are they territorial, do they have a pride of their own or still nomadic? Is the unrelated male the same male that was his coalition partner when they were dominant over the southern pride? Their son with the southern pride is still alive and had just gone nomadic with the 2 Talamati males and another SP male.
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Croatia Tr1x24 Offline
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(12-04-2019, 03:43 AM)Peteporker Wrote: Any other news on these guys? Are they territorial, do they have a pride of their own or still nomadic? Is the unrelated male the same male that was his coalition partner when they were dominant over the southern pride? Their son with the southern pride is still alive and had just gone nomadic with the 2 Talamati males and another SP male.

Yes, he was with Blondie Fourways, unrelated male who joined their pride in 2012/13,his brother was fataly wounded in the famous video against S. Matimbas, unfortunately no recent photos of Blondie.
Its rumored that they have pride and cubs.
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Croatia Tr1x24 Offline
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Another sighting of Styx males and their 2 companions:


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