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.
01-13-2017, 02:45 AM( This post was last modified: 01-13-2017, 02:50 AM by Georgel )
Guess who is back?
Thursday, 5 June 2008
*This image is copyright of its original author
Well this morning Pieter and Alex met up with the meanest, and now most infamous, coalition of lions WE have ever known ... the Mapogos. The fella in the picture is the one Pieter has started calling: Shaka.That look in the eye really sent a shiver down Alex's spine. He said it felt like Shaka saw right into his soul ... a look only a Mapogo can have. As I am sure you have all begun to notice, WildEarth's logo is the eye. Not any particular eye, just an animal's eye looking back at us. It is meant to signify the watching that WE all do in the wild, but also the realization that the animals watch us too. That there is a connection between the crew on the Jiga, you the viewer and these beautiful animals. It looks like the Mapogos killed a buffalo bull near Twin dams last night. Pieter thinks that it could have been one of the old dagga boys that WE have often seen around the area, and maybe one of Seesaw's group. He ran into that small herd at Treehouse dam this morning and one of the other bulls had fresh cuts on his rump suggesting that he was in the wars over night. In any event there is quite a lot of meat so the Mapogos should be around for at least a day ... maybe two.
01-13-2017, 03:28 AM( This post was last modified: 01-13-2017, 03:32 AM by Georgel )
Styx Pride of Lions
With the recent sightings of the Styx Pride within the Djuma Game Reserve, we thought a little background history on them may be enjoyed by the Wildearth.tv viewers.
Styx Pride occasionally referred to as the Mlowati Pride possibly referencing their past association with the Mlowathi/Mlowati males that use to dominate them.
Home Territory is mostly in Mala Mala.
This story starts in early 2000. The Styx pride consisted of a total of eight. One adult lioness of approximately 10 ½ years in age, four sub adult males two of which were a little over 4 yrs of age and two approximately 3 ¾ yrs of age who reached independence around November 2000, and three sub adult females. 4 ¼ yr of age Though this pride has been in existence for at least two and a half decades, these 4 lionesses (1 adult, 3 sub adults) were the beginning of the pride we know today. The pride, as it existed then, were one of few that managed to stay out from under the dominance of the forceful West Street Males. The West Street Males were a coalition of five males that sired many of the lions we still see today in the area including the six Mapogo Males/Eyrefield Males.
An interesting note about this pride, back around 2000 two lionesses reportedly broke off or were separated from the Styx pride and became known as the Sandy Patch aka Safari pride.
Today the pride consists of seven lionesses, only 2 Styx lionesses from the original 4 are still alive. They are 2 sisters that are now 13 yrs of age. The other 5 are surviving cubs from the original 2000 core of 1 adult and 3 sub-adult females.
Approximate age of the 7 Styx lionesses in May 2009
2 Adult lionesses appx 13 yrs and 8 mos
1 Adult lioness 8 yrs and 1 mo - Sired by one of the Mlowathi Males
1 Adult lioness 7 yrs and 3 mos- Sired by one of the Mlowathi Males
2 Adult Lionesses 5 yrs and 9 months - Sired by one of the Split Rock Males
1 Adult Lioness 5 yrs and 7 mos - Sired by one of the Split Rock Males
As of late July 2008 they had 11 to 12 surviving cubs including two just recently being born. As of Mar 2009, the exact count of cubs is uncertain but there are at least 9 and possibly more with speculation of recent births by at least one lioness.
The Styx pride are known to be hard Mothers. They haven’t had much success in raising cubs for a number of years now. Maybe this is the year that reputation changes.
In 2006 they had cubs by the Split Rock males. One of the males died in 2006 and the other old male maintained control of the Styx pride until mid 2007 when he was pushed out by the Roller Coaster males. Prior to the Styx pride being taken over by the Roller Coaster males, they lost all their cubs by the end of 2006 probably from infanticide by the Roller Coaster males.
Mid 2007, one of the Roller Coaster males was killed by a Crocodile. Since then, his brother has maintained dominance over the Styx pride and is believed to be the Sire of their current cubs. There have been a number of reports of the Styx lionesses seen mating with males from the Mapogo Coalition but the old Roller Coaster male is usually in attendance with the Styx pride and accepts the cubs as his. So don’t tell him they might not all be his.
The latest reports indicate the two oldest cubs were sired by the Roller Coaster male, the other seven it is unsure rather it was the Roller Coaster or the Mapogos or a combination of both that sired them. March reports indicate another lioness has very young cubs that were sired by the Mapogo/Eyrefield males.
There have also been several reports of the Styx pride fighting off Mapogo Males when they came near their cubs. Below are a couple of the recent fights between the Styx Pride and the Mapogo/Eyrefield Males as reported by Mala Mala.
August 2008
It seems the Mapogos found the Styx pride with their 11 cubs on Aug 10th. It was said the 5 male lions didn't pay much attention to the lionesses until they noticed the cubs. They went for the cubs and the Styx girls went into action fighting the males but of course they were no match for 5 big males and had to depart. The Mapogos went in search of the cubs but it was believed they couldn't find any. A couple of days later the latest Styx mother and her two new cubs were still safe in their den area. On the 15th of Aug. the rangers were relieved to see the rest of the pride along with the other 9 cubs so all survived the Mapogo attack.
The Styx pride have always been questioned about their Motherly qualities and are usually shown in a bad light when it comes to taking care of their little ones. In their defense… one must reconsider how good of Mothers they truly are. Taking on 5 big males to defend their cubs and grant the little ones time to escape to safety was indeed heroic.
On another Aug 2008 encounter between the Styx Pride and the Mapogos the Styx didn’t fare as well. The encounter was with 3 Mapogo males and the adult lionesses had an aggressive fight with them. One cub was caught and slung in the air but managed to survive and take refuge in the nearby rocks. The adult lionesses escaped unhurt except for one lioness that received fairly bad bite marks on her back but she recovered quickly.
December 2008
Another heroic attempt to keep their cubs safe was noted on Mala Mala, December 7th sighting. Mala Mala calls it the Battle at Campbell Koppies.
Two of the Mapogo Males, Kinky Tail and one they call MoHawk who have been frequenting the Mala Mala area in recent months, moved slowly one morning straight towards where the Styx Pride, the cubs and the old Roller Coaster male were resting. A fight was surely imminent when they spotted each other but instead the pride did nothing and the Mapogos skirted around them and found shade for the day.
That afternoon, the Mapogos and the Styx pride were all in the exact same place fast asleep. Things changed in the evening! The Styx pride with their cubs and the old Roller Coaster male in tow, moved straight towards the two Mapogo aka Eyrefiled males. The two Mapogo males sensed the females approaching and rose to meet them. Upon visual contact the Mapogos started roaring and ran at the Styx pride and the Roller Coaster male. All 7 of the lionesses and the old male scattered and retreated to the safety of the Campbell Koppies with their cubs. When the two Mapogo males came near the rocky area, the lionesses burst down from the koppies roaring and headed straight towards the two males. The two males hastily retreated back to the Milowati river. After the lionesses gave chase they returned to their cubs and the Roller Coaster male back towards the koppies. The two Mapogo males took this opportunity to mount another charge aimed at the lionesses roaring all the way. This time the Styx pride retreated to behind the Campbell Koppies and were moving away from the Mapogos. The two males rounding the western koppies ran into a well laid ambush. Five of the lionesses waited for their arrival and again charged the two Mapogos. Again with tucked tails the two ran for the Milowathi River with the girls in hot pursuit. The other two lionesses and the old Roller Coaster male had moved off with the cubs. Not admitting defeat the two Mapogo males again mounted another charge and sent the five lionesses scattering in all directions. Then a contest between the Mapogo males and the old Roller Coaster male erupted. Roaring back and forth with neither admitting defeat. The five lionesses set up a distract the Mapogos strategy which seemed to work well while the cubs were being lead further away to safety by the other two lionesses. Their strategy was to separate in all directions and roar loudly to distract/confuse the two Mapogos. The old Roller Coaster male split quickly as he had no real intentions it seemed to try and impose his dominance on the two Mapogo males.
Mar 4th 2009 the Styx Pride and the Roller Coaster male had yet another run in with two Mapogo males. Reports were of 4 Styx lionesses accompanied by 9 cubs and the old Roller Coaster male giving the two Mapogos a severe beating. The Styx lionesses came out of it with minor injuries and the old Roller Coaster male was limping and some new scratches to his nose but apparently nothing serious.
The next day, the two Mapogos had apparently met up with another Styx lioness who had made a kill near the Gowrie boundary and joined her for the feast.
The Styx Moms proved again they are being serious about protecting their cubs this time around. As shown in this clip from an awesome sighting live on WildEarth.tv on Sept. 2nd, 2008 titled "Styx Pride - Good Moms?".
April/May 2009 Update on the Styx Pride: It seems the Old Roller Coaster Male has been ousted by two of the Mapogos known as Kinky Tail and the other one of the Mohawk styled mane Brothers. Five Adult lionesses and their nine cubs fled Mala Mala and have moved into more Northern and Western areas from Mala Mala. They have been frequenting the Djuma Game Reserve area during the last week in April and into the second week of May. The two missing Styx Lionesses were denning in Mala Mala's Campbell Koppies area with two small cubs. One cub is estimated to be 3 months old and the other 2 months old. They are said to be Mapogo cubs.
May 10th 2009 update on the Two Mapogos and the Styx Pride: With the bulk of the Styx Pride and cubs still remaining outside of their Mala Mala territory, reports from Mala Mala indicate that Kinky Tail and one of the MoHawk boys are now spending a great deal of time with the two Styx lionesses left behind with the two small cubs around the Campbell Koppies.
The two cubs were thought to be one from each lioness as they are noticeably different in size. That theory was put in doubt this past week when the older Styx lioness was seen mating with both Mapogo Males for four consecutive days. She was seen a week or so ago with a severe puncture wound to her skull and badly limping. She was progressing in her recovery but is now sporting another new puncture wound and again limping badly since the aggressive mating sessions. During some of the mating period, the younger lioness and the two small cubs were nearby.
Another strange occurrence was when Mala Mala rangers came across another Styx Lioness with two recently born cubs. Barely able to walk, it seemed the lioness was leading them to a new den site. They hoped the little ones would survive the journey.
May 17 2009 - Two Mapogo Males (Kinky Tail and Mr T) were viewed on Wildearth.tv early in the AM. One Styx Lioness was with them. Strangely, she laid out in the full sun with her head down with Mr T close by guarding her from escaping. Kinky Tail lay further off and it was apparent he had an injury to his front right foot/leg.
Tracks seen on one of the roadways, indicated there had been a fight between several males. The tracks of the Styx Pride and their cubs were there also. Later in the AM, radio reports indicated that two presumed members of the Mapogo Coalition were chasing the Manyeleti Male. He was chased all the way to the Northern border of Buffelshoek.
After going back to the sighting of the two Mapogos with the Styx Lioness, Mr T had moved off from the lioness to the shade near where his brother lay. The lioness remained in the full sun and looked as if she wanted to be anywhere but there. As Kinky Tail rested, Mr T kept a watchful eye on his prized possession. The Styx girls are known for their cunningness and this lioness proved it once again. She continued her submissive stance until the boys felt comfortable enough to let their guard down and OFF she went leaving the boys in the dust.
More May 2009 reports: Arathusa reported it was believed the Styx were involved in a fight probably with some of the Mapogos at Arathusa's airstrip. The pride was split up and some members were seen at the airstrip searching for their missing members. The lionesses viewed showed signs of a battle. One lioness had a serious injury to her left shoulder and was not doing too well. On the next sighting, 3 lionesses and 1 cub (including the injured lioness) were on a warthog kill. The next morning they were happy to report that 2 more lionesses and 5 cubs had returned. Thus 5 lionesses and 6 cubs were seen. Three cubs were still missing.
Add to the above report, sightings at Djuma and Mala Mala and things are not looking good for the Styx Pride:
May 25, 2009: Sighting of one lioness identified as a Styx Lioness and one cub.
Mala Mala Reports - On the 24th of May, two of the older cubs were seen all alone but appeared to be in good condition. They were calling for the rest of the pride or their siblings. The next day (25th), at the site where the 2 Styx girls have the young cubs, a lone older cub was found not far away. It was thought to be one of the older cubs seen the night before. One of the younger Adult lionesses appeared but was not welcomed by the two lionesses with the young cubs. The young adult lioness was said to be extremely emaciated and in poor condition. She kept her distance from the other 2 adults due to their aggressive behavior towards her and joined the single older cub. The following day (26th), the bulk of the pride was found, 3 adults and 6 cubs South of the Clarendon open area.
May 30th 2009 - The Styx Pride was observed on Djuma around Vuyatela. The count seemed to be of only four lionesses and six cubs.
June 14th & 15th 2009 - Seen on Wildearth.tv live drives near Quarantine area of the Djuma Game Reserve. On the sighting of the 14th, viewed were three adult lionesses and five cubs. On the 15th, after an apparent Wildebeest kill, there were four adult lionesses and five cubs present. (Note: Arathusa reported on their June sighting of this pride, viewed were only four adult lionesses and five cubs, four females and one male)
June 16th & 17th 2009 - Again viewed on Wildearth.tv. Both sightings included four lionesses and five cubs. The pride enjoyed an impala kill each day. On the 17th, two adult lionesses were limping. One with wounds to the front right leg/foot and the other limping badly from what was possibly a thorn in her front right paw.
Other interesting traits of the Styx Pride.
They seem to have a true hatred of Leopards. There are numerous reports of them chasing leopards and killing them. They are the pride reported to have killed the White Cloth female leopard’s 18 month old son in of June 2007. Also for killing the Campbell Koppies female leopard’s 3 yr old daughter, known as “Yo” on Mala Mala, in January 2008. There have been reports of them chasing different leopards at different locations all in a matter of hours. It seems the Styx pride takes their hatred of leopards to an extreme.
One of the older lionesses who has two cubs is known for taking down adult Kudu on her own. Her and her young cubs seem to be well fed due to her excellent hunting techniques. She is a brave old lady also, when she and her two young cubs were on one of her Kudu kills along with the Roller Coaster male (he never misses a free meal), the Eyrefield pride approached 12 strong (3 adult lionesses and 9 sub adults) and though strongly outnumbered she managed to chase off the entire Eyrefield Pride and retain her well earned meal. A few bad scratches were all she received from the encounter.
This old lioness is the same one that gave birth right next to a game drive vehicle that was viewing the rest of the Styx pride in July 2008. The vehicle couldn’t move off as they were afraid their movement would put more pressure from an already intense moment thus they had to wait till the birthing process was over.
We’ll end this story with a recent video of a Styx Pride Reunion by mabuhr. It just makes you want to say awww…
Putting the Styx Pride story down in writing is very hard as there are so many chapters in their lives. We can only hope, with the new cubs, the Styx Pride will remain in existence for at least another two and a half decades.
Please remember, this information is not set in stone as it is an evolving story and there are conflicting accounts.
@Georgel , I didn't delete anything. It something was deleted, I'm sure the mod had his reasons.
@fursan syed can you write the numbers of the posts repeated, so I can delete them?
We appreciate the big load of articles both of you have posted, but fursan has a point. If it was already posted, then there's no point in putting it here again.
(01-13-2017, 04:45 AM)Georgel Wrote: but take into account that some of his posts are truncated, and the links to the original posts are missing.
Good.
Then, instead of posting the whole article again, I want you to do something for me.
Take note of Fursan's post that have broken links, copy them and make a post where next to post #(whatever it is), post the link.
That way, Fursan will be able to replace the links and even add something if he can.
And then, at the end of it, I can delete the repeated posts. That way, info won't be lost.
As for the chronological order, unfortunately, that's something we can't avoid, especially when finding new info. If the dates are clearly stated, then it's ok.
There are some moments in the bush that constantly thrill and enchant me, surprise and soothe me. The moment when you suddenly see a leopard, the moment you see the first burnt orange and yellow of autumn on the leaves, or have a perfect late summers day and realise only a few are left before winter. And then there are moments that are forever there in your heart, like the skies reflection on a silent waterhole.
One of many of these singular, beautiful and powerful moments was a few weeks ago when I got out of the tank close to a lioness. The lioness was dead from a night of violence involving the Mapogo males and some dead cubs. As I walked up to her perfectly still and serene carcass my primal being shouted ‘what if she’s not dead!’ The reflection in her glazed eye showed the harsh truth of pure untamed wild nature.
This instantly takes me back to two places, separated by only a short amount of time, back in December. The first one was just after we had seen the first little carcass of a Kuhuma cub lying dead and discarded in the trampled grass. A few minutes later James and I stopped and looked at some yellow thatch grass swaying in what seemed a cold summer’s wind. Reflecting on the start of our morning and wondering about these lions, these strong kings of wild places. The ‘Mapogo’s’……….I’d never seen them before, maybe I would see them today.
*This image is copyright of its original author
The grass soothed away our anger at the cub’s death and helped us accept the savage but honest spirit of this land. This brings me to the first moment, as clear now as then, when I saw my first Mapogo male. What a lion! We drove off road for long, not knowing how far the bush would stretch until we saw them. I knew we’d see them. Ephraim, who’d also found the cub, had tracked the violence back to a giraffe carcass, killed a day before by the Kuhuma females. Driving slowly, emotions and excitement were high with the possibility of meeting the current threat and future fathers of the Kuhuma cubs. ‘Lion’, don’t know if I said it or just heard it in my heart or felt it in my stomach. Mapogo! Shaka! Big, beautiful, instantly recognised as one of those we will remember as ‘warrior’, ‘iconic’ or ‘legend’. I saw him looking at me. Then his brother, whom I’ve come to think of as Leonides. These were lions!
*This image is copyright of its original author
Now the days are growing shorter, cooler, the nights colder, longer. Winter is waiting close, grass grows brown and brittle, yellow leaves disappear like water in the mud. The impalas will start their rut so that more will be born next summer. Some more lion cubs will pass and new ones will flourish. Before the grass grows green again, before the woodland kingfishers return, before we know it, there will be more little lions born from warriors, born from the Mapogo’s, who to me will always be Spartans when I think of them.
*This image is copyright of its original author
I leave today, I will miss Djuma, I will miss the lowveld. Just last night, what a memory, finding the lion and lioness in the grass in the dark. Mating Mapogo’s!! Enjoy the wildlife, the moment and WildEarth ... it's in our nature. Written by Pieter Pretorius
With the recent sightings of the Styx Pride within the Djuma Game Reserve, we thought a little background history on them may be enjoyed by the Wildearth.tv viewers.
Styx Pride occasionally referred to as the Mlowati Pride possibly referencing their past association with the Mlowathi/Mlowati males that use to dominate them.
Home Territory is mostly in Mala Mala.
This story starts in early 2000. The Styx pride consisted of a total of eight. One adult lioness of approximately 10 ½ years in age, four sub adult males two of which were a little over 4 yrs of age and two approximately 3 ¾ yrs of age who reached independence around November 2000, and three sub adult females. 4 ¼ yr of age Though this pride has been in existence for at least two and a half decades, these 4 lionesses (1 adult, 3 sub adults) were the beginning of the pride we know today. The pride, as it existed then, were one of few that managed to stay out from under the dominance of the forceful West Street Males. The West Street Males were a coalition of five males that sired many of the lions we still see today in the area including the six Mapogo Males/Eyrefield Males.
An interesting note about this pride, back around 2000 two lionesses reportedly broke off or were separated from the Styx pride and became known as the Sandy Patch aka Safari pride.
Today the pride consists of seven lionesses, only 2 Styx lionesses from the original 4 are still alive. They are 2 sisters that are now 13 yrs of age. The other 5 are surviving cubs from the original 2000 core of 1 adult and 3 sub-adult females.
Approximate age of the 7 Styx lionesses in May 2009
2 Adult lionesses appx 13 yrs and 8 mos
1 Adult lioness 8 yrs and 1 mo - Sired by one of the Mlowathi Males
1 Adult lioness 7 yrs and 3 mos- Sired by one of the Mlowathi Males
2 Adult Lionesses 5 yrs and 9 months - Sired by one of the Split Rock Males
1 Adult Lioness 5 yrs and 7 mos - Sired by one of the Split Rock Males
As of late July 2008 they had 11 to 12 surviving cubs including two just recently being born. As of Mar 2009, the exact count of cubs is uncertain but there are at least 9 and possibly more with speculation of recent births by at least one lioness.
The Styx pride are known to be hard Mothers. They haven’t had much success in raising cubs for a number of years now. Maybe this is the year that reputation changes.
In 2006 they had cubs by the Split Rock males. One of the males died in 2006 and the other old male maintained control of the Styx pride until mid 2007 when he was pushed out by the Roller Coaster males. Prior to the Styx pride being taken over by the Roller Coaster males, they lost all their cubs by the end of 2006 probably from infanticide by the Roller Coaster males.
Mid 2007, one of the Roller Coaster males was killed by a Crocodile. Since then, his brother has maintained dominance over the Styx pride and is believed to be the Sire of their current cubs. There have been a number of reports of the Styx lionesses seen mating with males from the Mapogo Coalition but the old Roller Coaster male is usually in attendance with the Styx pride and accepts the cubs as his. So don’t tell him they might not all be his.
The latest reports indicate the two oldest cubs were sired by the Roller Coaster male, the other seven it is unsure rather it was the Roller Coaster or the Mapogos or a combination of both that sired them. March reports indicate another lioness has very young cubs that were sired by the Mapogo/Eyrefield males.
There have also been several reports of the Styx pride fighting off Mapogo Males when they came near their cubs. Below are a couple of the recent fights between the Styx Pride and the Mapogo/Eyrefield Males as reported by Mala Mala.
August 2008
It seems the Mapogos found the Styx pride with their 11 cubs on Aug 10th. It was said the 5 male lions didn't pay much attention to the lionesses until they noticed the cubs. They went for the cubs and the Styx girls went into action fighting the males but of course they were no match for 5 big males and had to depart. The Mapogos went in search of the cubs but it was believed they couldn't find any. A couple of days later the latest Styx mother and her two new cubs were still safe in their den area. On the 15th of Aug. the rangers were relieved to see the rest of the pride along with the other 9 cubs so all survived the Mapogo attack.
The Styx pride have always been questioned about their Motherly qualities and are usually shown in a bad light when it comes to taking care of their little ones. In their defense… one must reconsider how good of Mothers they truly are. Taking on 5 big males to defend their cubs and grant the little ones time to escape to safety was indeed heroic.
On another Aug 2008 encounter between the Styx Pride and the Mapogos the Styx didn’t fare as well. The encounter was with 3 Mapogo males and the adult lionesses had an aggressive fight with them. One cub was caught and slung in the air but managed to survive and take refuge in the nearby rocks. The adult lionesses escaped unhurt except for one lioness that received fairly bad bite marks on her back but she recovered quickly.
December 2008
Another heroic attempt to keep their cubs safe was noted on Mala Mala, December 7th sighting. Mala Mala calls it the Battle at Campbell Koppies.
Two of the Mapogo Males, Kinky Tail and one they call MoHawk who have been frequenting the Mala Mala area in recent months, moved slowly one morning straight towards where the Styx Pride, the cubs and the old Roller Coaster male were resting. A fight was surely imminent when they spotted each other but instead the pride did nothing and the Mapogos skirted around them and found shade for the day.
That afternoon, the Mapogos and the Styx pride were all in the exact same place fast asleep. Things changed in the evening! The Styx pride with their cubs and the old Roller Coaster male in tow, moved straight towards the two Mapogo aka Eyrefiled males. The two Mapogo males sensed the females approaching and rose to meet them. Upon visual contact the Mapogos started roaring and ran at the Styx pride and the Roller Coaster male. All 7 of the lionesses and the old male scattered and retreated to the safety of the Campbell Koppies with their cubs. When the two Mapogo males came near the rocky area, the lionesses burst down from the koppies roaring and headed straight towards the two males. The two males hastily retreated back to the Milowati river. After the lionesses gave chase they returned to their cubs and the Roller Coaster male back towards the koppies. The two Mapogo males took this opportunity to mount another charge aimed at the lionesses roaring all the way. This time the Styx pride retreated to behind the Campbell Koppies and were moving away from the Mapogos. The two males rounding the western koppies ran into a well laid ambush. Five of the lionesses waited for their arrival and again charged the two Mapogos. Again with tucked tails the two ran for the Milowathi River with the girls in hot pursuit. The other two lionesses and the old Roller Coaster male had moved off with the cubs. Not admitting defeat the two Mapogo males again mounted another charge and sent the five lionesses scattering in all directions. Then a contest between the Mapogo males and the old Roller Coaster male erupted. Roaring back and forth with neither admitting defeat. The five lionesses set up a distract the Mapogos strategy which seemed to work well while the cubs were being lead further away to safety by the other two lionesses. Their strategy was to separate in all directions and roar loudly to distract/confuse the two Mapogos. The old Roller Coaster male split quickly as he had no real intentions it seemed to try and impose his dominance on the two Mapogo males.
Mar 4th 2009 the Styx Pride and the Roller Coaster male had yet another run in with two Mapogo males. Reports were of 4 Styx lionesses accompanied by 9 cubs and the old Roller Coaster male giving the two Mapogos a severe beating. The Styx lionesses came out of it with minor injuries and the old Roller Coaster male was limping and some new scratches to his nose but apparently nothing serious.
The next day, the two Mapogos had apparently met up with another Styx lioness who had made a kill near the Gowrie boundary and joined her for the feast.
The Styx Moms proved again they are being serious about protecting their cubs this time around. As shown in this clip from an awesome sighting live on WildEarth.tv on Sept. 2nd, 2008 titled "Styx Pride - Good Moms?".
April/May 2009 Update on the Styx Pride: It seems the Old Roller Coaster Male has been ousted by two of the Mapogos known as Kinky Tail and the other one of the Mohawk styled mane Brothers. Five Adult lionesses and their nine cubs fled Mala Mala and have moved into more Northern and Western areas from Mala Mala. They have been frequenting the Djuma Game Reserve area during the last week in April and into the second week of May. The two missing Styx Lionesses were denning in Mala Mala's Campbell Koppies area with two small cubs. One cub is estimated to be 3 months old and the other 2 months old. They are said to be Mapogo cubs.
May 10th 2009 update on the Two Mapogos and the Styx Pride: With the bulk of the Styx Pride and cubs still remaining outside of their Mala Mala territory, reports from Mala Mala indicate that Kinky Tail and one of the MoHawk boys are now spending a great deal of time with the two Styx lionesses left behind with the two small cubs around the Campbell Koppies.
The two cubs were thought to be one from each lioness as they are noticeably different in size. That theory was put in doubt this past week when the older Styx lioness was seen mating with both Mapogo Males for four consecutive days. She was seen a week or so ago with a severe puncture wound to her skull and badly limping. She was progressing in her recovery but is now sporting another new puncture wound and again limping badly since the aggressive mating sessions. During some of the mating period, the younger lioness and the two small cubs were nearby.
Another strange occurrence was when Mala Mala rangers came across another Styx Lioness with two recently born cubs. Barely able to walk, it seemed the lioness was leading them to a new den site. They hoped the little ones would survive the journey.
May 17 2009 - Two Mapogo Males (Kinky Tail and Mr T) were viewed on Wildearth.tv early in the AM. One Styx Lioness was with them. Strangely, she laid out in the full sun with her head down with Mr T close by guarding her from escaping. Kinky Tail lay further off and it was apparent he had an injury to his front right foot/leg.
Tracks seen on one of the roadways, indicated there had been a fight between several males. The tracks of the Styx Pride and their cubs were there also. Later in the AM, radio reports indicated that two presumed members of the Mapogo Coalition were chasing the Manyeleti Male. He was chased all the way to the Northern border of Buffelshoek.
After going back to the sighting of the two Mapogos with the Styx Lioness, Mr T had moved off from the lioness to the shade near where his brother lay. The lioness remained in the full sun and looked as if she wanted to be anywhere but there. As Kinky Tail rested, Mr T kept a watchful eye on his prized possession. The Styx girls are known for their cunningness and this lioness proved it once again. She continued her submissive stance until the boys felt comfortable enough to let their guard down and OFF she went leaving the boys in the dust.
More May 2009 reports: Arathusa reported it was believed the Styx were involved in a fight probably with some of the Mapogos at Arathusa's airstrip. The pride was split up and some members were seen at the airstrip searching for their missing members. The lionesses viewed showed signs of a battle. One lioness had a serious injury to her left shoulder and was not doing too well. On the next sighting, 3 lionesses and 1 cub (including the injured lioness) were on a warthog kill. The next morning they were happy to report that 2 more lionesses and 5 cubs had returned. Thus 5 lionesses and 6 cubs were seen. Three cubs were still missing.
Add to the above report, sightings at Djuma and Mala Mala and things are not looking good for the Styx Pride:
May 25, 2009: Sighting of one lioness identified as a Styx Lioness and one cub.
Mala Mala Reports - On the 24th of May, two of the older cubs were seen all alone but appeared to be in good condition. They were calling for the rest of the pride or their siblings. The next day (25th), at the site where the 2 Styx girls have the young cubs, a lone older cub was found not far away. It was thought to be one of the older cubs seen the night before. One of the younger Adult lionesses appeared but was not welcomed by the two lionesses with the young cubs. The young adult lioness was said to be extremely emaciated and in poor condition. She kept her distance from the other 2 adults due to their aggressive behavior towards her and joined the single older cub. The following day (26th), the bulk of the pride was found, 3 adults and 6 cubs South of the Clarendon open area.
May 30th 2009 - The Styx Pride was observed on Djuma around Vuyatela. The count seemed to be of only four lionesses and six cubs.
June 14th & 15th 2009 - Seen on Wildearth.tv live drives near Quarantine area of the Djuma Game Reserve. On the sighting of the 14th, viewed were three adult lionesses and five cubs. On the 15th, after an apparent Wildebeest kill, there were four adult lionesses and five cubs present. (Note: Arathusa reported on their June sighting of this pride, viewed were only four adult lionesses and five cubs, four females and one male)
June 16th & 17th 2009 - Again viewed on Wildearth.tv. Both sightings included four lionesses and five cubs. The pride enjoyed an impala kill each day. On the 17th, two adult lionesses were limping. One with wounds to the front right leg/foot and the other limping badly from what was possibly a thorn in her front right paw.
Other interesting traits of the Styx Pride.
They seem to have a true hatred of Leopards. There are numerous reports of them chasing leopards and killing them. They are the pride reported to have killed the White Cloth female leopard’s 18 month old son in of June 2007. Also for killing the Campbell Koppies female leopard’s 3 yr old daughter, known as “Yo” on Mala Mala, in January 2008. There have been reports of them chasing different leopards at different locations all in a matter of hours. It seems the Styx pride takes their hatred of leopards to an extreme.
One of the older lionesses who has two cubs is known for taking down adult Kudu on her own. Her and her young cubs seem to be well fed due to her excellent hunting techniques. She is a brave old lady also, when she and her two young cubs were on one of her Kudu kills along with the Roller Coaster male (he never misses a free meal), the Eyrefield pride approached 12 strong (3 adult lionesses and 9 sub adults) and though strongly outnumbered she managed to chase off the entire Eyrefield Pride and retain her well earned meal. A few bad scratches were all she received from the encounter.
This old lioness is the same one that gave birth right next to a game drive vehicle that was viewing the rest of the Styx pride in July 2008. The vehicle couldn’t move off as they were afraid their movement would put more pressure from an already intense moment thus they had to wait till the birthing process was over.
We’ll end this story with a recent video of a Styx Pride Reunion by mabuhr. It just makes you want to say awww…
Putting the Styx Pride story down in writing is very hard as there are so many chapters in their lives. We can only hope, with the new cubs, the Styx Pride will remain in existence for at least another two and a half decades.
Please remember, this information is not set in stone as it is an evolving story and there are conflicting accounts.
June 2009
By Aquila and Karen in Va
@"Majingilane" this is posted by me on post# 743 and link is also added
The sun has set on yet another day here in the Sabi Sands. Nightfall in the bush awakes a predator. An illusive leopard hunts with caution, planning every step as he silently moves through the darkness towards his prey… but this story is not about a stalking leopard. It is a story of one of our well-known lions, the dominant male of the Kahuma Pride, Blondie, who has tragically fallen to the brutal, destructive and terrifying coalition of five male lions, known as the “Mapogo Males”. Last night, as darkness settled over the bush, the horrifying sound of fighting lions was heard to the south of Djuma somewhere across one of our borders. The Rangers knew immediately that the Mapogo Males were a part of it because they had been spotted close to Cheetah Cut-line a couple of days ago. True to their name, which means, “bandits”, they were once again on the path of destruction. During the day, the two Kahuma males were seen with one of the Sticks females. Blondie was mating with her when the Mapogo Males came across them. Sadly, the instinct to eliminate all competition prevailed and Blondie stood little chance against the five “bandits”. The younger male, Dozie, joined the struggle for a while but fled together with the female towards Buffelshoek, when he realized his big brother had fallen. Our hearts grew heavy as we heard the reports coming in over the radio. Blondie was paralyzed. His only chance of survival would have been retreat. His fate was now sealed. The Sticks female escaped unharmed and is now, surprisingly, with the Mapogo Males, who will mate with her to ensure the survival of their genes. The only remaining Kahuma male, Dozie, was seen in Buffelshoek this morning with one of the Kahuma females. Dozie must now rise and take his place as the new dominant male of the Kahuma Pride. Some of the females have cubs and the Mapogo Males will want to kill them too, so Dozie’s responsibilities are great. He is now the only one that can ensure the survival of the Kahuma Pride. As far as we know the Kahuma Pride now consists of one male, Dozie, nine females and thirteen cubs. All of us here at Wild Earth are hoping that Dozie will succeed in his task of protecting the Kahuma Pride and that, in time the cubs will grow up to be a part of this very special group that we have come to know and love. The sun has set on yet another magnificent male lion’s life here in the Sabi Sands but I am sure, that whenever we see a buried lion track on the roads he used to walk on, we will think of him and remember him dearly.
And I'm not referring to the Canadian singer Bryan Adams’ song. No this time it’s a different pair of eyes you’re looking into: the eyes of the notorious Mapogo male lions. Thick fog and mist made visibility rather difficult on this early morning. The radio cracked out something and we found ourselves heading west- fast! Pieter wasn’t telling us what was going on, nor what we were going too see ... and kept us on the rims of our seats, holding on to the tank as WE flew through the bush! A coalition of five lions had killed a buffalo on a neighboring farm and had just left the kill to the scavengers. Full-bellied, and with an almost staggering walk, they headed onto Djuma! On arriving close to the sighting, Efraim was already on the lock. We had to wait for a couple of minutes to get a view of the ghosts of Pieter's imagination, who were supposedly 100-odd meters away. When Efraim finally gave Pieter the go ahead to pull into the lock and the fog cleared up before my eyes, I was amazed about where we actually were. And there they were - Mr T and Shaka - or WE thought it was ... appearing like ghosts out of the darkness - one of the best sightings we have ever seen was unfolding right in front of our eyes. WE enjoyed the scary company of the two Mapogo male lions - when another one came from the north. With a quick face rub he fell down and lay still next to his brothers. After some confusion - Pieter realised that there were more lions not too far away. The Djuma vehicles had all gone off, so there were other lions in the area. WE tracked along through the clearing mist and only then a couple of hundred meters ahead, two other males were also relaxing in the road. Eventually
WE had visual of all five Mapogos, on the road, lying down, really looking great. They are truly big, huge, humongous. Pieter’s description of them as being Spartan warriors is quite accurate. After the game drive ended, I took Sue and Nontlantlha, to go and see the Mapogos for the first time. Using the bubbaloo (which is much smaller than the tank), Pieter guided us in with me driving - "Jan turn off the road, and watch that space ..." the handheld croaked. With hearts beating at a seriously fast pace, a ghostly shape approached us edging closer and closer- slow but focused. With him passing less than a meter from the tiny babbaloo - poor Nonthanthla and Sue moved further away from the lion and on to my lap. The next followed, and one by one they all passed. Looking into their eyes - it’s something I can’t explain - I really just can’t! There is something about these lions, some thing that pushes me away, and makes us all want to run so fast at the sound of their roar, but once WE are with them, you are hypnotised by their immense power, grace and the secrets in their eyes ...
(Written by Jan Harm Robbertse)
@Georgel Read the last post by Majingilane, please. Stop write posts on this thread. Respects the rules written by the moderator, in this case Majingilane.
01-15-2017, 01:35 PM( This post was last modified: 01-24-2017, 06:09 PM by sanjayEdit Reason: Thread is re opened
)
This thread is closed for time being, It will be opened after sometime.
Edit:
The thread is re-opened. Please maintain friendly environment while discussing
