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.
05-24-2024, 06:49 PM( This post was last modified: 05-24-2024, 06:54 PM by BA0701 )
(05-24-2024, 01:55 PM)GhostCatP-22 Wrote:
(05-23-2024, 08:43 PM)BA0701 Wrote:
(05-23-2024, 08:10 PM)T I N O Wrote: Son of the Ndhzenga males born into Styx pride seen at Umbumbe Safari Lodge
Photo credits: Matt Fisher
*This image is copyright of its original author
You can really see Ubuso in our boy Floppy Ear.
He’s doing real well living on his own when his sisters are visiting with the gijimas. He’s gonna be a great survivor and hopefully he finds a partner.
Any side by side pics of him and uboso? Will make comparing easier. Uboso was the more dominant of the group at the time so most of the older cubs are his.
I don't believe there are any pics of the two of them next to one another, unfortunately, but he really has Ubuso's face, for sure, IMO.
(07-14-2022, 07:38 PM)Tr1x24 Wrote: History of Styx pride - Part 2 :
So we continue with Styx history, we ended around mid 2009. Few months ago, Styx pride male, Rollercoaster male, lost his territory to Mapogo males KT and mr T.
This was big turn of events for such a strong pride of 7 females, as they had 9 remaining cubs, around 1 yrs old, sired by Rollercoaster male (some might be by Mapogos as previous article speculates, as they mated with few Styx females, but they dont know that. Its pretty much accepted that these cubs are Rollercoaster offspring) who are under direct threat from 2 Mlowatis, so Styx pride go on a run.
They split, 5 mothers took the cubs, while 2 cubless females accepted Mlowatis and give birth to their cubs.
From this on, to around mid 2010, it was pretty much game of "hide and seek" between Styx childcare group and Mlowatis, with numerous encounters and fights between the 2 groups.
Already in June 2009, 1 of 5 females disappeared, and only 5 out of 9 cubs remained.
Also in August 2009, 1/2 of the females who was with Mapogos and had their 2 cubs, was killed, apperantly by Mapogos themselves, cubs also vanished shortly after.
By the arrival of Majingilanes around mid 2010, and defeat of Mlowati males, Styx pride "shrinked" to only 3 adult females ( just 1 year prior there where 7 adult females) , oldest and most famous female, known as grandma Goggi, 2 other adult females and 2 sub females and 1 sub male (famous Rollercoaster Styx young male).
As 3 adult females are coming back to estrus, they started mating with new dominant males in the area, Majingilanes, and their first offspring was born in early 2011, more then 10 cubs at that time.
This meant that time for RC Styx young male with the pride was over, he went nomadic at around 2,5 yrs old.
Theres a lot of stories about this legendary young male, his legendary clashes and fights with Majingilanes and Matimbas over the 2 years, to losing his eye, seen beaten and limping numerous times, he tried to conquer alone few prides, but didnt succed. He was last seen in August 2012, with wounds on his hinder legs, without an eye and limping.
1 of his sisters also disappeared, so from that generation of Rollercoaster and Mapogo cubs, only 1 RC female manage to reach adulthood (female who is still alive today, she is over 14 yrs old atm).
Towards 2013, Majingilanes are slowly starting to abandon Styx's as they moved further south and towards central Sabi Sands, mating with new prides Tsalalas and Mhangenis.
By mid 2013, Styx pride consistent of oldest female - grandma Goggi, another older female, and young RC female, alongside 4 remaining Majingilane offspring, 2 sub females and 2 sub males who where around 2.5 yrs old at that time.
Shortly after, in September 2013 , famous Styx female, grandma Goggi, died from old age, leaving pride with 2 adult females, 2 sub females and 2 sub males.
With absence of Majingilanes, nomadic male, at that time known as only Nkuhuma male (later be known as famous Thanda Impi male Sizanani), took his chance and mated with 2 adult Styx females, who gave birth to his cubs by very late 2013/early 2014.
Being "squezzed" on a territory between Majingilanes and Matimbas, Sizanani couldnt establish himself there.
Later in 2014, 2 young males become nomadic, they are known under name Big Boy and Long Mane Styx's, their story after is quite known.
In 2015, 2 powerful S. Matimba started to hang with Styx's, remaining Sizanani subs got killed by them. They sired cubs, but not for long, in late 2015, 5 Bboys ousted 2 S. Matimbas, in process killing 1 of younger Styx females - 1/2 Majingilanes daughter from 2011, who was pregnant to Matimbas, alongside all the Matimba cubs.
So by the start of 2016, Styx pride was down to 3 adult females, 1 old female, RC female and 1 Majingilane daughter.
They mated with Bboys and gave birth to their cubs thru 2016.
Majority of 2016 litter cubs didn't survive, mostly because of mange, except 2 cubs born around late 2016, another litter of 4 was born in early 2017 and another of 4 in September 2017. So Styx's had 10 cubs by the end of 2017.
By mid 2018, pride was doing alright, altough they lost 2 cubs and where still battling mange. But long waited stability under Bboys didn't last, Bboys started to vacanting north and moved south, in process abandoning their prides and Styx's also.
By the pressure of new N. Avocas males from the north, and big Torchwood pride from the east, around the beginning of 2019, Styx's turned nomadic.
Around that time, oldest female disappeared, 2 remaining females had almost impossible task ahead of them, under mange and nomadic life, raise 8 cubs/subs to adulthood.
By the end of 2019, only 3 sub females and 1 sub male remained. Regardless, if they managed to raise remaining 3 sub females to adulthood, that would be big succes. But it didn't happen, 1 sub female disappeared in early 2020, apperantly killed by Kambulas, another 1 died during a hunt incident in late 2020.
In early to mid 2020, Nkuhuma young male joined them, he and Styx young male formed a coalition and left the pride towards late 2020, they where later known as Nwalungu males in Singita, unfortunately Styx young male died in 2021 in an incident.
So by the late 2020, Styx pride where left by 3 females, RC female, Majingilanes daughter and Bboys daughter.
After 2 yrs of nomadic life, they finally settled in "empty" area of southern Sabi Sands (Lion Sands, Sabi Sabi), far south from their natal territory, where they have been for atleast 3 to 4 decades. So this was in a way "new beginning" or "chapter" of Styx pride.
There they started mating with dominant males in the area, 4 Ndhzenga males. They give birth to 11 cubs in early 2021. All cubs are alive and well to this day.
Another "rebuilding" process of Styx pride is on the way, hopefully this time with success, as this pride prob had most violent and disturbing history this past decade and more in Sabi Sands, only 3 females managed to survive by past of age 5 yrs since 2008, losing prob around 50 cubs/subs in that span, if not more.
Over the decades, this pride was dominated by West Street Males, Mluwathi males, Rollercoaster males, Mapogos, Majingilanes, S.Matimbas, Bboys and now Ndhzengas.
Theres a lot of famous and legendary prides in Sabi Sands with their stories thru years, Styx's are definitely up there, as one of the most legendary.
Where can we find more about the legendary famous Rollercoaster Young Styx Male? I tried to look for more detailed stories and vedios but found no details anywhere. I want to know if this is true: he was a lone warrior with formidable hunting skills and courage. However, he was too alone and young, he made multiple attemps to join other coalitions but always been refused. Then after the Majinglianes ate his sister, the lioness used to protect him, he started to suicidally attack the Majingilanes and other coalitions, regardless one the Majingilanes has show signs of acceptance by letting him feed together, it seemd that he just wanted to revenge and die. In the end, he got seriously injured and possibly died alone, even though a lot of people at that time asked to provide him euthanasia (also were refused).
06-04-2024, 12:19 AM( This post was last modified: 06-04-2024, 12:21 AM by Mapokser )
Was she alone? Styx pride should probably have been able to defeat the Msuthu, especially with the young male with them.
It's a shame but the Gijima's territory is too small for so many prides.
Historically the Styx pride have moved a lot, they should move further into Kirkman's and Kruger and be under the Nkhulu there, it'd be much better for everybody.
(06-04-2024, 12:19 AM)Mapokser Wrote: Was she alone? Styx pride should probably have been able to defeat the Msuthu, especially with the young male with them.
This was prob young female who was mating with Gijimas recently.
(06-05-2024, 08:23 PM)criollo2mil Wrote: Just wanted to document here the passing of 1/5 Young Styx Females. she had been attacked a few days ago by the Talamati/Musuthlu Lionesses.
She had gotten herself away and walked pretty far away so I had hopes she would recover....but sadly she didn't make it.
(06-04-2024, 12:19 AM)Mapokser Wrote: Was she alone? Styx pride should probably have been able to defeat the Msuthu, especially with the young male with them.
This was prob young female who was mating with Gijimas recently.
It is. The way I heard it described was that she heard the Gijimas and went towards them. But didn’t realize they were accompanying the Talamatis.
(06-05-2024, 11:54 PM)criollo2mil Wrote: It is. The way I heard it described was that she heard the Gijimas and went towards them. But didn’t realize they were accompanying the Talamatis.
She walked right into trouble.
Its always risky for nomadic lioness to go off mating with dominant male of rival territorial pride.
(06-04-2024, 12:19 AM)Mapokser Wrote: Was she alone? Styx pride should probably have been able to defeat the Msuthu, especially with the young male with them.
This was prob young female who was mating with Gijimas recently.
I do not understand why are the Styxt lionesses separated? It seems they do not have such a strong bond. Sad with the Styxt Birmingham daughter they would have had been 6. They do not seem to care if they are around eachother or not. Usually a young lioness is with her sisters. I wonder if her sisters would atleast know what happened to understand it is serious. Such a big potential for the Styxt lionesses. It seemed a few years ago this pride was going to grow strong, but now nobody knows. No one ever knows what is going to happen, but once the Talamatie lioness came to the South it was not good news. The Southern lioness is a strong pride of lionesses. That left the young Styxt lioness left. If they were going to leave it had to be the young Styxt lionesses. I wish they could go back to the north or the young Talamatie lionesses.
