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.
About the tsalala cubs i hope they could survive. They are the last remaining matimba offspring alive in sabi sands. The rest were wasted by bboys and matshapiris. But with only 2 years old they will not make it. Maybe if they keep chasing the tsalalas to get some food like solo did in the past.
12-23-2017, 06:47 PM( This post was last modified: 12-23-2017, 07:16 PM by Abomai )
From: Imbali Safari Lodge
The Battle of Imbali – Matimbas vs Avoca Males - PART 1
One of the shortest nights of 2017 would become one of the longest nights for two of the Matimba males on the Mluwati concession. The confrontation between them and the three Avoca males had been building up for a couple of days already. The Avoca males spent three days on a buffalo kill just off the S36 during the previous week, while the Matimbas were somewhere in the North of the concession.
We realized that there ...was a showdown looming when the two Matimbas showed up at the Imbali waterhole early on the morning of the 20th of December. They declared their arrival with loud roars and in the distance, there was an ominous answer from the three Avoca males. The Matimbas flopped down in the shade but stayed alert and watchful as they heard the roars of the Avoca males getting closer. Our guides followed the approaching Avoca males until they too, lay down and went quiet. The scene had been set, but the action stopped, as both groups of lions decided to rest during the heat of the day.
Picture: One of the Matimbas listening to the approaching roars of the Avoca Males.
12-23-2017, 06:48 PM( This post was last modified: 12-23-2017, 07:17 PM by Abomai )
From: Imbali Safari Lodge
The Battle of Imbali – Matimbas vs Avoca Males - PART 2
Later that afternoon the roars from both groups of lions can be heard as the Matimbas against all odds win a small intimidation victory driving the Avoca males back North towards Ridge Road. It becomes very obvious that one of the Matimba males is severely hampered by an injured back leg. Even though he can’t keep up with his stronger coalition partner he joins in the roaring battle and it looks like the Avoca males ar...e retreating. The stronger of the two Matimbas shows us again why they are such legends to all that know them and have spent time with them. He walks head on towards the Avoca males, his partner lying down as his leg injury slows him down.
12-23-2017, 06:59 PM( This post was last modified: 12-23-2017, 07:20 PM by Abomai )
From: Imbali Safari Lodge
The Battle of Imbali - Matimbas vs Avoca Males - PART 3
The Avoca males in the meantime look very focused and calm, watching every move the two older males make. They are attached at the hip at this point, sticking close together. The lions are now close enough to see each other but the Avoca males move into a very thick patch of bush with no visibility. The stronger of the two Matimbas follow, roaring as he goes into the thickets. The injured Matimba watches on and drag...s himself to his feet trying to follow with wobbly steps. The guides are unable to follow through the dense bush but it looks like the Matimbas are standing their ground against a much younger and stronger coalition.
No one knows exactly what happened during the night but it becomes evident that the Avoca males were not retreating when we hear them roaring early the next morning very close to Imbali. It seems they might have separated the Matimbas on purpose by trying to draw away the stronger one. The guides find them lying just south of the lodge. Less than a hundred meters away, one of the Matimba males is also found. He has been injured and he does not move much. The guides leave him alone and we close the area to let nature take its course. There is no sign of the second Matimba male but he could possibly just be lying in the thick bush close by.
The Avoca males spend the whole day sleeping in the exact same place and as night falls they roar only once and then silently get up. Miraculously there is no sign of the Matimba male at the spot that he was last seen in the morning. The Avoca Males come to drink at the Imbali waterhole, then move purposefully south towards where the Matimba male was last seen. Late during the night, we hear the roars of the three males again, this time further to the south-west. We don’t see any of the lions the next day and we don’t know what the fate of the Matimbas are. On the morning of the 23rd, we find the Avoca males in the eastern section of the concession, close to the S36. We also find two sets of lion tracks heading south-west down the Mluwati river…
Pictures: One of the Matimbas walking in to face the younger males + The injured Matimba looking on.
Pictures courtesy of field guide Wesley Lovell and guest Cois de Wit.
12-23-2017, 07:30 PM( This post was last modified: 12-23-2017, 07:33 PM by Abomai )
From: Imbali Safari Lodge
The Battle of Imbali - Matimbas vs Avoca Males - PART 4
The challengers – Avoca Males coalition.
These young males first walked onto the Imbali concession at the end of November 2017. We suspected that they could possibly be looking to move into this territory permanently. It was confirmed that these males came from further north in Greater Kruger Park area and they were known as the Avoca male coalition. The Mluwati males who are resident males on the concession have rec...ently been active only in the southern part of the concession and to the north the two old Matimbas were keeping a low profile. The perfect opportunity for these three to establish a territory of their own. Over the next couple of weeks, it became clear that they meant business as they became more vocal and started scent marking everywhere they went. They killed a buffalo just off the S36 on the far eastern side of the concession a couple of days before the confrontation with the Matimbas.
Hi Everyone - Thank you for all the comments and questions regarding the incident between the Avoca Males and the Matimbas. We appreciate all your interest and your concern about the fate of these magnificent lions. Unfortunately, we will not be able to reply to individual comments and questions but we will shortly be posting a full update on the situation. Thank you!
PART 1 The Battle of Imbali – Matimbas vs Avoca Males One of the shortest nights of 2017 would become one of the longest nights for two of the Matimba males on the Mluwati concession. The confrontation between them and the three Avoca males had been building up for a couple of days already. The Avoca males spent three days on a buffalo kill just off the S36 during the previous week, while the Matimbas were somewhere in the North of the concession.
We realized that there was a showdown looming when the two Matimbas showed up at the Imbali waterhole early on the morning of the 20th of December. They declared their arrival with loud roars and in the distance, there was an ominous answer from the three Avoca males. The Matimbas flopped down in the shade but stayed alert and watchful as they heard the roars of the Avoca males getting closer. Our guides followed the approaching Avoca males until they too, lay down and went quiet. The scene had been set, but the action stopped, as both groups of lions decided to rest during the heat of the day.
*This image is copyright of its original author
Picture: One of the Matimbas listening to the approaching roars of the Avoca Males. PART 2 to follow soon...
PART 2
The Battle of Imbali – Matimbas vs Avoca Males.
Later that afternoon the roars from both groups of lions can be heard as the Matimbas against all odds win a small intimidation victory driving the Avoca males back North towards Ridge Road. It becomes very obvious that one of the Matimba males is severely hampered by an injured back leg. Even though he can’t keep up with his stronger coalition partner he joins in the roaring battle and it looks like the Avoca males are retreating. The stronger of the two Matimbas shows us again why they are such legends to all that know them and have spent time with them. He walks head on towards the Avoca males, his partner lying down as his leg injury slows him down
*This image is copyright of its original author
Picture: One of the Matimbas resting
PART 3 to follow in 30 minutes.
PART 3
The Battle of Imbali - Matimbas vs Avoca Males.
The Avoca males in the meantime look very focused and calm, watching every move the two older males make. They are attached at the hip at this point, sticking close together. The lions are now close enough to see each other but the Avoca males move into a very thick patch of bush with no visibility. The stronger of the two Matimbas follow, roaring as he goes into the thickets. The injured Matimba watches on and drags himself to his feet trying to follow with wobbly steps. The guides are unable to follow through the dense bush but it looks like the Matimbas are standing their ground against a much younger and stronger coalition.
No one knows exactly what happened during the night but it becomes evident that the Avoca males were not retreating when we hear them roaring early the next morning very close to Imbali. It seems they might have separated the Matimbas on purpose by trying to draw away the stronger one. The guides find them lying just south of the lodge. Less than a hundred meters away, one of the Matimba males is also found. He has been injured and he does not move much. The guides leave him alone and we close the area to let nature take its course. There is no sign of the second Matimba male but he could possibly just be lying in the thick bush close by. The Avoca males spend the whole day sleeping in the exact same place and as night falls they roar only once and then silently get up. Miraculously there is no sign of the Matimba male at the spot that he was last seen in the morning. The Avoca Males come to drink at the Imbali waterhole, then move purposefully south towards where the Matimba male was last seen. Late during the night, we hear the roars of the three males again, this time further to the south-west. We don’t see any of the lions the next day and we don’t know what the fate of the Matimbas are. On the morning of the 23rd, we find the Avoca males in the eastern section of the concession, close to the S36. We also find two sets of lion tracks heading south-west down the Mluwati river…
*This image is copyright of its original author
*This image is copyright of its original author
Pictures: One of the Matimbas walking in to face the younger males + The injured Matimba looking on. Pictures courtesy of field guide Wesley Lovell and guest Cois de Wit. PART 4 to follow in 30 minutes.
PART 4. The challengers – Avoca Males coalition
*This image is copyright of its original author
*This image is copyright of its original author
These young males first walked onto the Imbali concession at the end of November 2017. We suspected that they could possibly be looking to move into this territory permanently. It was confirmed that these males came from further north in Greater Kruger Park area and they were known as the Avoca male coalition. The Mluwati males who are resident males on the concession have recently been active only in the southern part of the concession and to the north the two old Matimbas were keeping a low profile. The perfect opportunity for these three to establish a territory of their own. Over the next couple of weeks, it became clear that they meant business as they became more vocal and started scent marking everywhere they went. They killed a buffalo just off the S36 on the far eastern side of the concession a couple of days before the confrontation with the Matimbas.
PART 5 to follow in 30 minutes.
The Battle of Imbali - Matimbas vs Avoca Males - Part 5 (more images).
The nighttime images show the Avoca Males just before the confrontation with the Matimbas, and listening to the Matimabs roar.
Photos courtesy of field guide Wesley Lovell and guest Cois de Wit.
In the south, one Matimba male lion was found by himself after moving in from the KNP Mluwati concession. He was badly injured. Apparently the two Matimba males are having a battle with the three younger Avoca males in this area as well. The same trio that fought with Scorro a while back!
Hi Everyone - Thank you for all the comments and questions regarding the incident between the Avoca Males and the Matimbas. We appreciate all your interest and your concern about the fate of these magnificent lions. Unfortunately, we will not be able to reply to individual comments and questions but we will shortly be posting a full update on the situation. Thank you!
PART 1 The Battle of Imbali – Matimbas vs Avoca Males One of the shortest nights of 2017 would become one of the longest nights for two of the Matimba males on the Mluwati concession. The confrontation between them and the three Avoca males had been building up for a couple of days already. The Avoca males spent three days on a buffalo kill just off the S36 during the previous week, while the Matimbas were somewhere in the North of the concession.
We realized that there was a showdown looming when the two Matimbas showed up at the Imbali waterhole early on the morning of the 20th of December. They declared their arrival with loud roars and in the distance, there was an ominous answer from the three Avoca males. The Matimbas flopped down in the shade but stayed alert and watchful as they heard the roars of the Avoca males getting closer. Our guides followed the approaching Avoca males until they too, lay down and went quiet. The scene had been set, but the action stopped, as both groups of lions decided to rest during the heat of the day.
*This image is copyright of its original author
Picture: One of the Matimbas listening to the approaching roars of the Avoca Males. PART 2 to follow soon...
PART 2
The Battle of Imbali – Matimbas vs Avoca Males.
Later that afternoon the roars from both groups of lions can be heard as the Matimbas against all odds win a small intimidation victory driving the Avoca males back North towards Ridge Road. It becomes very obvious that one of the Matimba males is severely hampered by an injured back leg. Even though he can’t keep up with his stronger coalition partner he joins in the roaring battle and it looks like the Avoca males are retreating. The stronger of the two Matimbas shows us again why they are such legends to all that know them and have spent time with them. He walks head on towards the Avoca males, his partner lying down as his leg injury slows him down
*This image is copyright of its original author
Picture: One of the Matimbas resting
PART 3 to follow in 30 minutes.
PART 3
The Battle of Imbali - Matimbas vs Avoca Males.
The Avoca males in the meantime look very focused and calm, watching every move the two older males make. They are attached at the hip at this point, sticking close together. The lions are now close enough to see each other but the Avoca males move into a very thick patch of bush with no visibility. The stronger of the two Matimbas follow, roaring as he goes into the thickets. The injured Matimba watches on and drags himself to his feet trying to follow with wobbly steps. The guides are unable to follow through the dense bush but it looks like the Matimbas are standing their ground against a much younger and stronger coalition.
No one knows exactly what happened during the night but it becomes evident that the Avoca males were not retreating when we hear them roaring early the next morning very close to Imbali. It seems they might have separated the Matimbas on purpose by trying to draw away the stronger one. The guides find them lying just south of the lodge. Less than a hundred meters away, one of the Matimba males is also found. He has been injured and he does not move much. The guides leave him alone and we close the area to let nature take its course. There is no sign of the second Matimba male but he could possibly just be lying in the thick bush close by. The Avoca males spend the whole day sleeping in the exact same place and as night falls they roar only once and then silently get up. Miraculously there is no sign of the Matimba male at the spot that he was last seen in the morning. The Avoca Males come to drink at the Imbali waterhole, then move purposefully south towards where the Matimba male was last seen. Late during the night, we hear the roars of the three males again, this time further to the south-west. We don’t see any of the lions the next day and we don’t know what the fate of the Matimbas are. On the morning of the 23rd, we find the Avoca males in the eastern section of the concession, close to the S36. We also find two sets of lion tracks heading south-west down the Mluwati river…
*This image is copyright of its original author
*This image is copyright of its original author
Pictures: One of the Matimbas walking in to face the younger males + The injured Matimba looking on. Pictures courtesy of field guide Wesley Lovell and guest Cois de Wit. PART 4 to follow in 30 minutes.
PART 4. The challengers – Avoca Males coalition
*This image is copyright of its original author
*This image is copyright of its original author
These young males first walked onto the Imbali concession at the end of November 2017. We suspected that they could possibly be looking to move into this territory permanently. It was confirmed that these males came from further north in Greater Kruger Park area and they were known as the Avoca male coalition. The Mluwati males who are resident males on the concession have recently been active only in the southern part of the concession and to the north the two old Matimbas were keeping a low profile. The perfect opportunity for these three to establish a territory of their own. Over the next couple of weeks, it became clear that they meant business as they became more vocal and started scent marking everywhere they went. They killed a buffalo just off the S36 on the far eastern side of the concession a couple of days before the confrontation with the Matimbas.
PART 5 to follow in 30 minutes.
So HB was last seen moving and roaring into the direction of the 3 Avoca Males by himself? If we don't hear from him anymore, that's a way to go...absolute warrior!
Ginger was apparently hurt before, he won't survive very long by himself...
It would be sad if HB died alone figthing against three opponents, but like KT (It does not matter how many enemies, He died defend pride and territories)
01-01-2018, 10:02 AM( This post was last modified: 01-01-2018, 10:03 AM by sanjay )
This is what truly astonishing about lion world. When they born they live in the fear of pride takeover, when they grow they are expelled to live a hard life, When they conquer they face huge challenge.. When they become old.. they die like warrior.
Their world is very different, just like a saga of worrier kings
Why is everyone acting like HB is dead it’s just a rumor nobody knows for sure and he just got injured let them catch prey and they will recover. @Tshokwane
