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The Matimba coalition
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 (05-28-2015, 04:55 AM)'Pantherinae' Wrote: Matimba vs Majingilane Crazy game of Chicken, just goes to show that posturing is obviously the preferred form before attacking, as it should be. 
History of the Matimba coalition (c/c of their facebook page)
"The 6 Matimba's came from Ngala. 5 Matimba's came from the Birmingham pride and the 6th male(Nduna) came from a single lioness. 2 Matimba's rule Southern Manyeleti and Northern Sabi Sands. The other 3 Matimba's rule Northern Manyeleti, Ngala Game Reserve and Orpen Camp in Kruger. The 6th male(Nduna) hasn't been seen for a while now. His whereabouts is currently unknown. Nduna's mother was called the Lamula female. She was a lone lioness that occupied the central part of Ngala near the Timbavati river bed. She died a few years back, and was survived by a single male youngster about 18 months old at the time. The rangers at Ngala thought he would be a casualty of nature, but by some incredible feat he joined up with the Birmingham Pride from the west. After taking a few beatings from the rival young males, the adult females adopted him. All the young males including the Lamula young male moved off as a coalition of 6 into the Manyeleti." 5 of the 6 young Matimba's killing a buffalo in Ngala. The 6th male was just out of sight.  *This image is copyright of its original author Picture of Nduna (in the middle, easily identifiable with his tail).  *This image is copyright of its original author 
Wildearth Safari live drive, showing Ginger and Hairy belly over a warthog kill. Like good male lions, they have the friendly competition over the meat, and it's great to see them growl at each other, and pushing to get a better grip on the food. At tyhe same time, the close-ups show us the battle scarred faces of both males.
Nice video of them.
A very interesting turn of events. The Styx pride, including the young males, was around the Djuma watherhole(I think it's that one) and following their scent and roars, the two southern Matimbas found them.
Then the chase begun. http://www.facebook.com/karin.vandermerw...=2&theater The young Styx males, sons of the Majingilane are big and beautiful, but they were clearly intimidated by the older, bigger and experienced dominant males. When the Matimbas came back, they were both covered in blood, and Ginger had blood in his mouth so it could be that they caught one of the young males... http://www.facebook.com/CheetahPlains/vi...=2&theater  *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 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 image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author 
Thank you @"Majingilane" for this info. They are certainly most dominating force of the area. Below is the video of Matimba male Lions chasing away Styx pride
There is another short video of 30 sec where They were returning after chase with blood on their mouth. We hope that the younger male would have escaped. Video credit to: Karin van der Merwe
The missing styx male was found but in bad condition, looking to meet his brothers, that's only chance of survival. You can see his spine is injured by matimba
he was located on Cheetah Plains this morning, following a herd of buffalo.  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author Photos by Craig Hamilton
On the other hand of the equation of yesterday, are the dominant males of the Northeastern part of the Sabi sands, Hairy Belly and Ginger, the Southern Matimba males.
After a marathon of several days were Hairy belly was mating with one of the Styx lionesses, and his brother doing the same with another one, it was just a metter of time before they turned their attention towards the very vocal newcomers, the young Birmingham males.  *This image is copyright of its original author
[video=facebook]https://www.facebook.com/CheetahPlains/videos/968590579860057/?fref=nf[/video]
The two Matimbas are not the kind of males to take a threat lightly, and gave them a taste of their own medicine when they chased them back, after finding them with a buffalo kill. The breakaway Styx pride was with them, so it's clear they didn't want to take chances with this males around, so they chased them off while at the same time a chorus of defiant roars was taking place between both coalitions.This video hows them returning to the site of the kill, after the encounter with the rival males.
[video=facebook]https://www.facebook.com/CheetahPlains/videos/vb.278177142234741/971773062875142/?type=2&theater[/video]
 *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author I must say I was very surprised when I read the reports and saw the video were people said how the Matimba males had run off first, mostly because they are known to be very agressive males that take no options when it comes to other males. But at the same time, it makes sense. Both of them are 10+ years old, maybe a bit younger than the Majingilane, but still they are not young lions anymore. In the last months they have had several encounters with other males, mostly the Styx males and some chasing of the Fourways males, and the two Scar Majingilanes, and believe it or not, this takes it's toll in aging lions. ¿How long can they hold on if the Birmingham males decide to press on their attack? I don't know. But what I'm sure of is that they won't go down without a fight first, and the Birmingham males will need of all their tricks and strenght, and also their numbers, to defeat the experienced and mighty Matimba males. Time will tell what is going to happen, and we have the privilege to be witness what could be a future takeover of territory. 
@Panthera Leo, You can read other thread on lions. Stay tune we will add more info with time
Any word from the Rangers or lodges about the battle between the big southern matimbas and the b boys???
Nothing, they are busy with their lioness and B Boys are around their territory. We except that sooner or later fight will go between these 2
Good day brothers! For how long did ginger injured his right paw? What is the reason being injured and when? Is it getting better or permanent damage on his paw? Can anyone answer
The info I have is that maybe a snake bit him. I also heard from someone is facebook that he got injured in a hunt, but about the snake bite I heard it directly from one of the rangers in one of the Wildearth safari lives. I think he's been carriying that injury for the last couple of years, and actually he has been doing fine. It didn't bother him, he was able to hunt properly and everything, so this makes me think that something else happened to him in that paw and now is making his life difficult. Maybe he got injured in a buffalo hunt, or maybe their fight with the Styx male a couple of months ago left this injury, casually in the same paw as the snake fight.
I don't really know. But what is certain is that if the Birmingham make a move towards the brothers and notice this weakness, they will capitalize on it, and maybe the takeover will finally take place. We'll have to wait and see. |
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