Mangheni Pride

[Rui Ferreira]

(10-28-2024, 04:04 AM)Duco Ndona Wrote:

(10-28-2024, 01:06 AM)BA0701 Wrote:

(10-27-2024, 11:53 PM)Duco Ndona Wrote: Its much easier to be aggressive when you are the attacking party and not caught by surprise. Which probably also explains some things.

An honest question, not trying to be facetious or argumentative in any way. Do you think the current aggressive queens, the Ximungwes, would retreat from their own kill at the sight of three young females? The way those two have acted recently, I am not sure they'd be easy to push off of a kill by anyone, males included. I think they might be forced to retreat, eventually, but it would take a lot more than 3 young females walking in to do it.

In my opinion, losing OM seems to have changed them, taken away some level of confidence, perhaps. If they had pride males who were present more, I don't think it would take much for that confidence to return. OM was present, spending time with them, a lot. In my observations that seems to have been when things got different for them anyhow. Maybe I'm wrong, but that is how I see the situation.

Who knows? We like to categorize groups as agressive or defensive and compare numbers as if the two prides are teams in a soccer match. But the wild is a lot more chaotic than a sports field. If something were to surprise and spook the Ximhungwe enough, they will bolt, even if it was just a small cheetah. Animals dont like uncertainty but embrace the element of surprise and opportunity when it suits them. Afteral, how many times have we read here that a much smaller group chases of a bigger group, with occasionally the later than realizing they have numberal advantage and turn the tables.

We also know next to nothing about this attack. Everyone just assumes that just two Ximhungwes just decided to launch an assault on the entire pride one day and somehow seriously mauled two of them without getting hurt. But in my opinion, the two males were more likely seperated from the pride, offering an opportunity that the Ximhungwes took before fleeing from the rest of the pride.

And while the Mangheni are obviously in a adjustment period after the oldest members died. (I doubt losing OM impacted them that much in that aspect). I would not underestimate the pride as things are right now.
If the roles were to reverse, I doubt they will shy away from killing a Ximhungwe cub.

A perfect example would be the two Ottawas a year or so ago giving chase to the Manghenis, only to Manghenis realise there were just two sub adult female and reverse the roles Reply