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.
Blondie's front leg injury is a new injury and he seems to already have recovered mostly. His main problem was the back leg injury and just overall condition, he improved massively in the last month and that's definitely a confidence boost for them.
When pride males start hanging out with the pride instead of patrolling territory or confronting intruders, to me it's a sign of a coalition nearing it's end as in-charge. The Bboys seem to be in this stage rn, I'm sure Tinyo has probably improved his condition by now and I think he can still be a great asset to Nhena if it all comes to blows. I wouldn't count them out though, 1 Avoca getting cornered in a 2v1 is all it'll take to change the balance.
The old and mighty Gowrie/Birmingham male "Tinyo".
He and his brother are the remaining 2 out of a 5 male coalition who have ruled the Sabi Sands for years but their reign is soon coming to an end as the Northern Avocas push closer into their territory.
The Avocas are already responsible for killing 2 Cubs of the kambula female who had 5 Cubs and they definitely won’t be stopping there(If they take over the kambula pride they will kill all the Cubs of the previous males)
#MalaMala #SabiSands #BirminghamMales
By Zhian Carim Photography
Since Mala Mala is deleting their raports from time to time I think it will be good to make copy paste of it.
2020:
January:
Sightings of this coalition increased by seven this month. The two surviving members continue to spend the vast majority of their time with the Kambula pride. They also continued to mate with the lioness that does not have cubs, yet. They have enjoyed a virtually unchallenged reign over much of our reserve since they took control but the winds of change may be quietly gathering themselves in the form of the northern 7 Compiled by the rangers of MalaMala Game Reserve Avoca males who have been seen venturing into the northern parts of Gowrie male territory.
A ‘mini’ storm swept over the reserve in the early hours of Sunday morning. This allowed for excellent hunting conditions which the Marthly lioness took full advantage of. She brought down a wildebeest near MalaMala Camp and her cub joined her at the carcass. Unwanted company loomed nearby in the form of a Gowrie male and Kambula lioness. The mating pair were found only a few hundred meters away and it was only a matter of time before they caught wind of the feast. The Kambula lioness approached first and the Marthly lioness immediately dashed off with her cub. However, on Monday morning we were surprised to find that the Marthly pride were back at the carcass with the Gowrie male and there was so sign of the other female, initially... She would return and when she did another surprise waited for us. This time the mother and cub did not flee. In fact, for a short period, all 4 lions seemed to coexist. The truce did not last. The two lionesses got into a brawl and chaos erupted. Luckily the cub managed to keep out of harm’s way. The rest of the Kambula pride and the other Gowrie male were hunting wildebeest and zebra at West Street Pans.
February:
The two surviving members continue to spend the vast majority of their time with the Kambula pride. They also continued to mate with the lioness that does not have cubs, yet. They have enjoyed a virtually unchallenged reign over much of our reserve since they took control but the winds of change may be quietly gathering themselves in the form of the northern Avoca males who have been seen venturing into the northern parts of Gowrie male territory.
March:
These two males remain the dominant force of the reserve with much of their territory remaining unchallenged. For the most part the males are seen with the Kambula Pride. It’s not often we see them alone and if we do it isn’t long before they reunite with the pride. Of the 16 sightings of these two males they were only seen together on three occasions (12th, 18th, 21st) and each time it was with the entire Kambula Pride. Only in two sightings did we see one of the males alone (8th & 15th). The other 11 sightings of these males they were seen apart and with members of the Kambula Pride.
April:
As is often the case, these two males spent their time with the Kambula Pride. This month the two males were not seen if not following the pride. Both brothers were seen mating with the lioness that has no cubs. For sightings of the Gowrie males please refer to the write up on the Kambula Pride:
Members of the Kambula Pride were seen on 14 of the 30 days this month. Of the 17 sightings, this pride was accompanied by the Gowrie males in all but two sightings. As was the case in the month of March the female yet to have cubs was again seen mating with the Gowrie males this month. We have good reason to believe she is unable to conceive. The female without cubs was seen with one of the Gowrie males on the 5th at the Ngoboswan Donga. The entire pride and both males were together on the 6th at drum crossing and then again at the sausage spot the following day. On the 10th, five females, all the cubs and a Gowrie male were seen along the eastern bank of the Matshapiri River south of Matshapiri Open Area. From here the pride moved north without a male and were found near Fred’s tree on the 11th. The other lioness and one of the Gowrie males were seen mating on the Airstrip. the following day the pride continued north and were found near Stwise in the presence of a Gowrie male. The mating pair were still around the airstrip. On the 13th the mating pair had crossed east through the Sand River and were found near the remains of an impala ram at Piccadilly Pans. On the 14th the pride was found near the Kapen breakfast spot without a male, while the mating pair were mating south of the causeway. For the second half of the month the pride continued with the loop moving north from around Charleston north crossing to MalaMala camp. On the 15th they were near the Tamboti Thickets with one of the Gowrie Males. From here the entire pride and both males moved together and were seen at the causeway on the 16th having walked straight through camp that morning! That night and in the early morning of the 17th they covered the western bank in its entirety with tracks of them moving back and forth between Rattrays camp and West Street Bridge. We found them just west of the old Flockfield camp. From here they crossed over west street bridge and settled down for the day in the eastern parts of the Ngoboswan donga. Several days went by with them off the reserve but they must have caught wind of the Nkuhuma pride on the 25th as they were found north of Mlowathi Pans west of the Mlowathi River on the 25th. This is a little north of their typical territory and judging from tracks, the Nkuhuma pride hadn’t been much further north of where the Kambula pride settled down. This was the last sighting of the entire pride for the month with only the lioness without cubs and a Gowrie male seen on the 28th at Lion Loop.
May:
The two Gowrie males were seen with members of the Kambula pride in all but three of the 13 sightings of these males. On the 8th one of the males was found with an impala kill near Princess Alice pans. On the 10th both males were seen together at Kapen open area. On the 11th one of the males was seen alone near the airstrip. Only twice did we see these two males together in a sighting. For details on the other ten sightings of these males please refer to the section on the Kambula pride:
The Kambula pride were seen on 18 days this month. For the most part most members of the pride were seen together with a few sightings being of just one or two of the lionesses alone. As we are accustomed to seeing, the two Gowrie males were accompanying members of the Kambula pride in ten of the 19 sightings. For the first half of the month the pride spent most of their time in Flockfield between the Matshapiri River and Charleston North crossing. On the 5th four lionesses and all 14 cubs were at Kapen open area. The next day the two lionesses that weren’t with the pride were seen with a Gowrie male at Pete’s bridge. On the 7th and 8th four lionesses and all 14 cubs were at Mamba waterhole with a Gowrie male joining them on the 8th after they killed an impala. On the 19th a lioness and a Gowrie male were at Princess Alice pans while three of the lionesses and five cubs were seen briefly as they crossed west through Charleston north crossing. On the 11th the full complement of the pride was seen at Fred’s tree. Four days later (15th) the pride was found at Kapen open area and overnight they moved east and were found at Emsagwen crossing on the 16th with a Gowrie male. It was here we watched as they successfully stalked and caught a warthog in the Matshapiri River. Moving south along the Matshapiri River from here they settled down just south of Donald’s crossing for the 17th. The 18th saw the pride prove why lions live in prides when they found and mauled the Marthly lioness near Matumi Rocks. If the Gowrie males hadn’t appeared the fate of the Marthly lioness may have been sealed. See the write up on the Marthly Pride for details on this interaction. On the 20th four lionesses and all 14 cubs were seen in front of Rattrays camp while the other two lionesses and a Gowrie male were found just south of the airstrip. One lioness was seen alone on the 22nd near the old giraffe bones. Just a little further north of here, four lionesses, 14 cubs and both Gowrie males were seen at Sand pit crossing the following day. On the 26th two lionesses and a Gowrie male gave us a scare as they appeared out of nowhere and chased the Nkoveni female leopard, her new cub, and the Flat Rock male leopard near the hippo pools west of MalaMala camp. The entire pride was viewed together for the last three sightings of the month. On the 27th they were at Elephant slide crossing. On the 28th they killed an impala near Matshapiri open area with a Gowrie male. Once finishing the kill, they noticed vultures descending in Matshapiri open area and covered the kilometre distance in a matter of minutes to chase three cheetahs off an impala kill. The last sightings for the month was north of Matshapiri open area where the pride and a Gowrie male chased two caracals (the first caracals seen in years).
June:
The two Gowrie males were seen together on four of the 10 sightings of this coalition. For the most part they were seen with members of the Kambula pride and for those sightings please refer to the section on the Kambula pride. Only twice did we see these males not accompanying the Kambula pride. On the 8th one of the males was seen at Campbell Koppies. On the 29th both males were seen near mamba waterhole.
A similar trend as in May was seen with this pride spending the first half of the month in the southern parts of their territory and the northern parts of their territory in the latter half of the month. One or both Gowrie males were seen in eight sightings of this pride. On the 2nd was out first sighting of members of the Kambula pride at Charleston north crossing where 3 females and six cubs were seen. On the 3rd four females, all 14 cubs and a Gowrie male were seen near Beaumont’s camp. On the 5th the female yet to have cubs was seen in the Rock drift donga near its confluence with the Sand River. The entire pride (baring one female) and the two Gowrie males were seen near Rattray’s camp on the 6th. From here they moved east and on the 8th four females and eight cubs were seen at Buffalo Bush dam. Following up in the same area the following day we tracked these members of the pride to the borehole in eastern Flockfield. In doing so we found the other six cubs on their own near the rocks on baby elephant walk. The full compliment of the pride was found on the 12th near Charleston North crossing in two separate sightings separated by half a kilometre. From here the pride moved north along the Sand River with two females being seen near the causeway, while three females and all the cubs were with a Gowrie male at West Street bridge on the 13th. Over a week went by with no sightings of these lions. We next found the full pride and both Gowrie males on the 22nd behind MalaMala camp. All 22 lions moved south together and were found at Donald’s crossing a couple of days later, on the 24th. The last sighting of all 20 lions together was on the 27th near MalaMala camp. The female not to have had cubs was seen alone at the Ngoboswan donga on the 29th. She was seen again on the 30th with an impala kill at West Street bridge but this time in the company of both Gowrie males. We have good reason to believe, and contradictory to what we’ve previously thought, that this female is pregnant.
July:
For a change we mostly saw these two males together. Both Gowrie males were seen together for seven of the 11 sightings. Only once did we see them not accompanying the Kambula pride and this was on the 31st when they were found at Piccadilly Pans finishing off the remains of a sub adult Giraffe. The kill was at least a couple of days old and judging from the area around the kill we could assume the two males made the kill themselves.
August:
Of the 18 sightings of these males they were only seen together on six occasions. On the 9th both males were seen but in two different sightings, one male was on the old airstrip while the other was at Sand Pit Crossing. On the 13th, 14th and 15th both males were seen together with two sub adults and the three yearling cubs at Flockfield Boma Crossing. It was during this time that one of the year-old cubs died. On the 16th and 17th, the two males where still together and were seen with members of the Kambula pride at the causeway and in front of Rattray’s Camp on the two respective days. The bulk of the pride were together and the last time the two males were seen together for the month was on the 19th at the causeway. One of the males was seen mating with a lioness from the Kambula pride on the 20th near the airstrip. On the 22nd one of the males was seen with the bulk of the Kambula pride at Mlowathi pans while the other male was with the remaining member of the pride at confluence crossing. The lions that were seen at Mlowathi pans moved far south overnight and where found with a young giraffe kill near the borehole in eastern Flockfield the following day. This kill lasted them three days. On the 25th this male and the member of the Kambula pride that he been with at the Giraffe kill had moved north to Styx Crossing. The following day both males were seen, one alone at Mlowathi Koppies while the other was with member of the Kambula pride at West Street. The last sighting of these males was on the 28th when both males where seen, one at the Kapen Breakfast Spot while the other was at Drum Crossing.
September:
The two Gowrie males were seen together in 13 of the 25 sightings and with members of the Kambula pride in 17 of the 25 sightings. Only on 7 occasions was one of the males alone. With the coalition down to two from the five males that first took over territory on MalaMala they are not the presence they once were. Although still the dominant coalition on MalaMala there are several young males starting to encroach on their territory. What these two males may lack in young enthusiasm and energy they make up for in experience and with many cubs still at a vulnerable age in the territory, something to fight for. The next several months are going to be very interesting in the dynamics of the male coalitions of MalaMala.
October:
The two Gowrie males spent much of their time apart this month with them seen together in only five of the 17 sightings. Time spent apart is likely a result of the two males having to cover their territory extensively with young males starting to encroach. Although not seen together much one or both males were seen with members of the Kambula pride in 11 of the 17 sightings. The majority of sightings were along the Sand River near West Street crossing and near the airstrip. A noteworthy sighting was on the 17th when one of the males was with the bulk of the Kambula pride around the northern parts of Paradise valley with a buffalo bull kill.
November:
In 20 of the 24 sightings, one or both of the Gowrie males was with members of the Kambula pride. On nine occasions both males were seen together and with the company of members of the Kambula pride. On only four occasions was a male seen alone. As was the case with the Kambula pride, these two males have shifted the range slightly favouring the western bank of the Sand River. The furthest east a male was seen was a Styx crossing. This male was moving west, indicating he'd been in the eastern parts of their territory more than likely maintain a presence in Eastern Flockfield. Both males were seen mating with lionesses from the Kambula pride.
December:
The two Gowrie males were seen together in 14 of the 21 sightings of this coalition. Out of the 14 sightings of them together, only three were in the company of the Kambula pride. The majority of the sightings were on the Sand River's western bank, particularly around the Airstrip. Notable events were; one of the males was with three lionesses, and the two youngest cubs on a kudu bull kill in the Hogvaal Donga just west of the KNP boundary on the 5th. Both males were with the full complement of the Kambula pride on a giraffe kill just south of Vulture Waterhole on the 13th. The two males killed a wildebeest calf on the 24th near the Airstrip.
January:
The two Gowrie males spent most of this month on the Sand River's western bank, a similar pattern to last month and a typical wet season distribution. The two males were seen together in five of the 14 sightings of them and in the company of members of the Kambula pride in eight of the 14 sightings. The first sighting for the year was of both males at Princess Alice pans on the 4th. On the 7th one of the males was at the same pans. Both males linked up and joined three lionesses from the Kambula pride on the Airstrip on the 12th . They moved north and were with the bulk of the pride at Mlowathi Koppies the following day. Overnight these lions moved south, covering approximately 9km and were at the Kapen breakfast spot the following day. On the 16th one of the males was with two lionesses from the Kambula pride on a zebra kill at West Street Pans. He was seen with the same lionesses south of the Airstrip on the 17th and 18th. On the 21st one of the males was with Kambula lionesses on the Old Airstrip while his brother was at Styx crossing. The elder of the two brothers was south of the Ngoboswan donga on the 27th. On the 28th, 29th and 30th the younger male was on the Airstrip, with his brother and three lionesses joining him on the 29th.
February:
The two Gowrie males spent most of this month on the Sand River's western bank, similar to previous months and in their typical wet season distribution. In only four of the 14 sightings, one or both males were seen east of the Sand River. The two males were together in two of the 14 sightings and in the company of members of the Kambula pride in all but two sightings. One of the males was with 15 members of the Kambula pride at Princess Alice Pans on the 1st. A week later, the same male was with seven of the Kambula pride's sub adults at the Parking Bay (9th) and four of the subadults on the Airstrip (10th). Overnight these lions had moved south and linked up with two of the other subadults and were at Drum Crossing. From here, they walked north, linked up with three lionesses and crossed west over the Causeway. On the 17th, a male was alone north of Rattray's camp. He moved north to the Airstrip overnight, where he linked up with his brother, three lionesses and eight subadults from the Kambula pride. One male was with 16 members of the Kambula pride on the Airstrip on the 21st, Donald's Crossing on the 22nd, and in Kapen open area on the 23rd. While his brother was with the bulk of the pride, the second male was with the remaining three members of the pride on the Airstrip on the 22nd and by himself on the Old Airstrip on the 24th. Both males were together on the Airstrip with 11 members of the Kambula pride on the 26th.
March:
The two Gowrie males have found themselves under considerable pressure for the first time in their reign. The two brothers were not seen together once this month and were seen throughout their territory. They have pressure from the two Northern Avoca males in the north, the four Ndhzenga males to their southwest, the Othawa male to the west and the two males from the Kruger to their east. Not to mention the young males in the area like the Torchwood male. Hence, they have found themselves spread thin in an attempt to hold on. How much longer can they hold on in this manner, and will we see them spend more time together in months to come? The two males were seen from MalaMala camp in the north of their territory south to KK Pans in the southernmost part of our reserve, essentially in Southern Avoca male territory. In seven of the 14 sightings, a male was seen with members of the Kambula pride. On the 17th, a male was mating with Compiled by the Rangers of MalaMala Game Reserve a lioness from the Kambula pride south of the Kapen Breakfast spot. The final sighting of one of these males was on the 27th when the male stole an impala kill from a lioness and sub-adult male from the Kambula pride who themselves has stolen the kill from the Island female and Accipiter male.
April:
The two brothers were only seen together three times this month, and sightings of these two males were concentrated in the core of their territory between Rattray's Camp and MalaMala Camp. The pressure on the Gowrie males has been mounting over several months now, and this month we witnessed our first interaction between them and another coalition. On the 2nd, the younger of the two Gowrie males was chased by a Northern Avoca male. The Gowire male was mating with a lioness from the Kambula pride in Piccadilly Triangle when another male lion joined the sighting. The two males watched each other before tensions rose, and both lions stood and ran south, the Northern Avoca male chasing the Gowrie male. All the while, the Northern Avoca male was roaring. The Gowrie male managed to get around a herd of elephants that, distressed by a male lion's presence, prevented the Northern Avoca male from getting around them. The Gowrie male continued south to Sand Pit crossing, where he proceeded to start roaring while the Northern Avoca male moved back north, roaring and scent marking as he went. From this event, it appears the area around Piccadilly pans is now a grey area between the two coalitions territories. The following day the male in question was at Lower Mlowathi Crossing with subadults of the Kambula pride. From here, he roared and proceeded south, linking up with his older brother on the Old Airstrip. The next time both males were together was a couple of days later when they were on the southern parts of the Airstrip with a lioness from the Kambula pride. The following couple of days, a male was mating with the same lioness at Piccadilly pans and on the Airstrip. Both males were seen in multiple sightings with members of the Kambula pride before they were together again at the Old Airstrip on the 15th. The remaining sightings of these males were in the area south of Piccadilly Pans and west of the Sand River around the Old and New Airstrips.
May:
Both males were only seen together in three of the thirteen sightings and were in the presence of members of the Kambula pride in six of the thirteen sightings. The first sighting of the month was only after a week when one of the males was north of Rattray's camp on the 7th. On the 9th, one of the males was with members of the Kmabula pride at Piccadilly pans. The following day the same male was on the Airstrip. On the 12th and 13th, a male was with members of the Kambula pride at Planks pans. On the 18th, a male was with a lioness and two subadults from the Kambula pride on the Airstrip. One male was at Piccadilly pans on the 19th and 20th. The first time both males were seen together Compiled by the Rangers of MalaMala Game Reserve was on the 21st, when they were south of the Airstrip. A few days later (25th), they were around the Parking Bay. On the 28th, the younger male was trailing four lionesses from the Kambula pride that were hunting impala east of the Ngoboswan breakfast spot. We'd lost the lionesses and suck with the male. All of a sudden, he stopped walking, held his head high and set off at a pace no one was able to keep up with him. The lionesses had killed an impala, and by the time he got to them, there was nothing for him to steal off of them. One male was with two lionesses from the Kambula pride around Princess Alice pans on the 30th. The last sighting of the month was of both males together at Charleston North crossing on the 31st.
June:
In an interesting and not entirely unpredictable turn of events, the Gowrie males spent the majority of their time together this month. Of the fifteen sightings, only four featured them separate from one another. This speaks to the wise old principle of safety in numbers. The pressure from the Northern Avoca males seems to be mounting. Most of the sightings of the Gowrie males were in the core of their territory, around the Airstrip and Sand River, south of MalaMala main camp. The Gowrie males also spent a fair amount of time with the newest Kambula pride cubs. This is an indication that they assume paternity over the litter.
January:
The two Gowrie males spent most of this month on the Sand River's western bank, a similar pattern to last month and a typical wet season distribution. The two males were seen together in five of the 14 sightings of them and in the company of members of the Kambula pride in eight of the 14 sightings. The first sighting for the year was of both males at Princess Alice pans on the 4th. On the 7th one of the males was at the same pans. Both males linked up and joined three lionesses from the Kambula pride on the Airstrip on the 12th . They moved north and were with the bulk of the pride at Mlowathi Koppies the following day. Overnight these lions moved south, covering approximately 9km and were at the Kapen breakfast spot the following day. On the 16th one of the males was with two lionesses from the Kambula pride on a zebra kill at West Street Pans. He was seen with the same lionesses south of the Airstrip on the 17th and 18th. On the 21st one of the males was with Kambula lionesses on the Old Airstrip while his brother was at Styx crossing. The elder of the two brothers was south of the Ngoboswan donga on the 27th. On the 28th, 29th and 30th the younger male was on the Airstrip, with his brother and three lionesses joining him on the 29th.
February:
The two Gowrie males spent most of this month on the Sand River's western bank, similar to previous months and in their typical wet season distribution. In only four of the 14 sightings, one or both males were seen east of the Sand River. The two males were together in two of the 14 sightings and in the company of members of the Kambula pride in all but two sightings. One of the males was with 15 members of the Kambula pride at Princess Alice Pans on the 1st. A week later, the same male was with seven of the Kambula pride's sub adults at the Parking Bay (9th) and four of the subadults on the Airstrip (10th). Overnight these lions had moved south and linked up with two of the other subadults and were at Drum Crossing. From here, they walked north, linked up with three lionesses and crossed west over the Causeway. On the 17th, a male was alone north of Rattray's camp. He moved north to the Airstrip overnight, where he linked up with his brother, three lionesses and eight subadults from the Kambula pride. One male was with 16 members of the Kambula pride on the Airstrip on the 21st, Donald's Crossing on the 22nd, and in Kapen open area on the 23rd. While his brother was with the bulk of the pride, the second male was with the remaining three members of the pride on the Airstrip on the 22nd and by himself on the Old Airstrip on the 24th. Both males were together on the Airstrip with 11 members of the Kambula pride on the 26th.
March:
The two Gowrie males have found themselves under considerable pressure for the first time in their reign. The two brothers were not seen together once this month and were seen throughout their territory. They have pressure from the two Northern Avoca males in the north, the four Ndhzenga males to their southwest, the Othawa male to the west and the two males from the Kruger to their east. Not to mention the young males in the area like the Torchwood male. Hence, they have found themselves spread thin in an attempt to hold on. How much longer can they hold on in this manner, and will we see them spend more time together in months to come? The two males were seen from MalaMala camp in the north of their territory south to KK Pans in the southernmost part of our reserve, essentially in Southern Avoca male territory. In seven of the 14 sightings, a male was seen with members of the Kambula pride. On the 17th, a male was mating with Compiled by the Rangers of MalaMala Game Reserve a lioness from the Kambula pride south of the Kapen Breakfast spot. The final sighting of one of these males was on the 27th when the male stole an impala kill from a lioness and sub-adult male from the Kambula pride who themselves has stolen the kill from the Island female and Accipiter male.
April:
The two brothers were only seen together three times this month, and sightings of these two males were concentrated in the core of their territory between Rattray's Camp and MalaMala Camp. The pressure on the Gowrie males has been mounting over several months now, and this month we witnessed our first interaction between them and another coalition. On the 2nd, the younger of the two Gowrie males was chased by a Northern Avoca male. The Gowire male was mating with a lioness from the Kambula pride in Piccadilly Triangle when another male lion joined the sighting. The two males watched each other before tensions rose, and both lions stood and ran south, the Northern Avoca male chasing the Gowrie male. All the while, the Northern Avoca male was roaring. The Gowrie male managed to get around a herd of elephants that, distressed by a male lion's presence, prevented the Northern Avoca male from getting around them. The Gowrie male continued south to Sand Pit crossing, where he proceeded to start roaring while the Northern Avoca male moved back north, roaring and scent marking as he went. From this event, it appears the area around Piccadilly pans is now a grey area between the two coalitions territories. The following day the male in question was at Lower Mlowathi Crossing with subadults of the Kambula pride. From here, he roared and proceeded south, linking up with his older brother on the Old Airstrip. The next time both males were together was a couple of days later when they were on the southern parts of the Airstrip with a lioness from the Kambula pride. The following couple of days, a male was mating with the same lioness at Piccadilly pans and on the Airstrip. Both males were seen in multiple sightings with members of the Kambula pride before they were together again at the Old Airstrip on the 15th. The remaining sightings of these males were in the area south of Piccadilly Pans and west of the Sand River around the Old and New Airstrips.
May:
Both males were only seen together in three of the thirteen sightings and were in the presence of members of the Kambula pride in six of the thirteen sightings. The first sighting of the month was only after a week when one of the males was north of Rattray's camp on the 7th. On the 9th, one of the males was with members of the Kmabula pride at Piccadilly pans. The following day the same male was on the Airstrip. On the 12th and 13th, a male was with members of the Kambula pride at Planks pans. On the 18th, a male was with a lioness and two subadults from the Kambula pride on the Airstrip. One male was at Piccadilly pans on the 19th and 20th. The first time both males were seen together Compiled by the Rangers of MalaMala Game Reserve was on the 21st, when they were south of the Airstrip. A few days later (25th), they were around the Parking Bay. On the 28th, the younger male was trailing four lionesses from the Kambula pride that were hunting impala east of the Ngoboswan breakfast spot. We'd lost the lionesses and suck with the male. All of a sudden, he stopped walking, held his head high and set off at a pace no one was able to keep up with him. The lionesses had killed an impala, and by the time he got to them, there was nothing for him to steal off of them. One male was with two lionesses from the Kambula pride around Princess Alice pans on the 30th. The last sighting of the month was of both males together at Charleston North crossing on the 31st.
June:
In an interesting and not entirely unpredictable turn of events, the Gowrie males spent the majority of their time together this month. Of the fifteen sightings, only four featured them separate from one another. This speaks to the wise old principle of safety in numbers. The pressure from the Northern Avoca males seems to be mounting. Most of the sightings of the Gowrie males were in the core of their territory, around the Airstrip and Sand River, south of MalaMala main camp. The Gowrie males also spent a fair amount of time with the newest Kambula pride cubs. This is an indication that they assume paternity over the litter.
There is so much information contained in these, I do not know why they would delete them. Text literally only uses byes of space, and kilobytes of it is a lot of text. This makes no sense.
That is concerning. He still had Nhenha and a pride to call home. He also still seemed healthy enough to keep with it.
So he had no reason to get lost or go into hiding. Even the Avocas dont seem to have been in any fights lately that could explain his death, and if they did they are not capitalizing on it.
Has Nhenha been seen contact calling after he went missing?
Thabk God Tinyo is alive. Im not ready to see him pass yet although it is what it is. I really hope he can get better and put in a few more good years together with Nhena
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