It’s been 6 months or so since The Majingilane Males arrived in Marthly and overturned the proverbial apple cart.
Male lion takeovers invariably have disastrous effects on lion prides as new territories are drawn and cubs with previous bloodlines are dispatched.
The Tsalala Pride haven’t escaped this. One of their pride males was eaten, the other returning to the safety of his brothers in the west (and doesn’t look to be coming back any time soon.) Of the 8 cubs that the 3 Tsalala lionesses were raising only 4 sub-adult females remain and the pride has split.
The two young Tsalala mothers have seemingly abandoned their role as caregivers to their previous litter and have mated with the Majingilane males. They are both in a heavy and late stage of pregnancy, and given that they weren’t together this morning possibly one of the females has given birth already.
The Tail-less female meanwhile, in a role that she has been accustomed to throughout her life, is a single mother again. Diligently she is nurturing the 4 youngsters through to adulthood. She has had to hide her cubs in her own backyard from new males in the past and appears to be getting away with it again.
Behaviour like this should in theory be referenced somewhere or obvious to the keen observer. The Tsalala Pride are, however, raising more questions than answers and opinion is divided as to what exactly is happening.
Most rangers and trackers agree that the notion of the pride having split as a defence mechanism is a little too lofty. You can’t completely rule out the possibility of the oldest female taking charge of the youngsters while the two other females buy her time through occupying the new males attentions, but then you credit lions with more intelligence than most people are willing to.
A more plausible theory is that the two younger Tsalala Females, 8 years old and still without any successful offspring, have recognized a lost cause for what it is and abandoned ship. They skipped the theoretical 6 month period where they mate with the new males fruitlessly in order to bond them to the pride and the new area, making sure that by the time they do conceive the males are still around. Rather they found the new males in the territory, mated and are now seeking out potential dens.
Tsalala Sub-Adult Female
Occasionally they run into the remnant of the pride but these meetings have become increasingly unusual and more hostile.
Exactly how things pan out for the Tsalala Pride will be a game of wait and see. It’s sure to be riveting and to that end we’ll try and keep you updated on the blog. Sometimes we’ll have to remind ourselves that it’s their drama and not ours!
Written by: Tom Imrie
Filmed by: Steven Foreman
Thanks for another well written update Tommo. Come on Tsalala pride.
I feel it’s just a matter of time before the Majingilanes sense weakness in the West and decide to hit it full force. Or it could even be the other up and coming coalitions, who will nail the remaining Mapogos. The end of an era I guess, yet something tells me the Mohawk male will be the last one standing and will probably vanish/disappear once the other two males succumb to age and injury.
It was worth the longs hours of research, reading, surfing and asking around for every bit of information on this spectacular coalition of lions. Many great images and photos and videos, but could never really find a pic of all 6 in their prime.
Rich, it would be of great satisfaction if you could do a special post of images and videos of the last three lions with some killer write-ups, maybe a continuation of Lion Warfare.
Thanks
Its a tough one to cal Al as both male coalitions seem to be content with their territories at present. You are correct in saying that the Mapogos will eventually get taken out by a younger, more energised coalition.
I am not sure where you can find a pic of all 6 together if you have done alot of research on the topic. Perhaps someone reading these comments will be able to post a link if they do know.
Will certainly look for imagery and videos of the remaining three lions, however they have not been seen on Londolozi for months. The 4 Majingilanes are now the males that we frequently see.
R
Thanks for posting that great film, above.
Hi ,
This is for you Al , maybe you didn’t see it yet…
http://www.facebook.com/mapogo#!/photo.php?fbid=207263430426&set=o.53143473813&pid=7794672&id=783575426
Hi Rich ,
Thanks for posting news about Tsalala pride ; maybe these young sub adults females will survive …and will have a mighty pride of 7 lionesses ….
In these moment everybody talk about Majingilanes and Mapogo , but as I remember there are 5 young male in Selati pride and also 4 young males in Eyerefield pride . Do you think they are capable to form coalitions and challenge these dominant males ?
What do you know , are they still alive and healthy ?
Thanks for the update. What happened to the fourth Mapogo? I thought Kinky Tail was killed by the Majingilanes and then one male was killed possibly by them in a fight. So there were four left and now only three?
The sub adults looked rather thin-it appears the sub adult female that had its tail bitten off by hyenas and survived has perished? They certainly do lead a tough life !
It does make one wonder about pride dynamics in areas where male lions are heavily hunted? There must be no stability at all, with newer males coming in and killing cubs non stop?
Hi, this is a rare photo i can find with all six mapogo in their prime (2006). Spectacular arent they?
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=207262855426&set=o.53143473813
Hey Tom,
Nice write-up. I assume that the 2 cubs we found eaten when I was with you in Dec were part of the Tsalala’s…
Did you ever find out whether that second female (remember we saw the one female and the lone cub retreating from the area where we found the dead cubs) survived that night or if she was also killed by the Majingilane?
It was awesome seeing all four of the Majingilane’s on our last morning and I had a great overall experience there… I am very keen to return – maybe before or after one of my photo workshops in 2011.
James
I have a picture of all 6 Mapogos, where would I go to post them ?
Chris you can post the link to your photo in the comments section below
I don’t think any other species of animal on earth goes through what the lions do. It’s a non-stop life and death drama.
Thanks Mele
But I’ve pretty much exhausted myself on all the possible resources related to the Mapogos, there are some fine images of four and five lions and videos as well. Probably, the best ending would be to cover the last days of the remaining three by those fortunate enough to witness the brutal saga of Lion Warfare. It would bring great closure to those who’ve followed the these lions for so long, taken so much interest and learned a ton.
Those Majings look damn fine, real tight and well built and will probably sweep through the areas soon provided they do it together. Younger coalitions will, most likely, stay out of their way. The video of the Majings killing that hyena was just one of the most awesome spectacles, its just time before they sense the weakness of the Mapogos in the West and decide to launch their bid.
I just can’t understand why no one is making a wildlife documentary on this incredible story. How the Mapogos came to power after leaving the Sparta/Eryfield pride and wiped out half of the lion population in Sabi Sands including one entire pride. And then losing power to a younger more ambitious coalition. This sounds more like two Mafia families battling for territory.
There was a documentary done on the Split Rock males Nose (Scar) and Leg (Tyson). So I wish somebody would similarly pick up on this story and make us an awesome documentary.
Hey Rich…talk to JV and see what he thinks 😉
I agree that this story is definitely worthy of a documentary and it is something that I have chatted about with many people. Will definitely chat to JV and see what he thinks. What is the documentary of the Split Rock Males called?
Mapogo coalition../ photo Hannes Krugers/ – Leopard Hills 2008
http://www.leopardhills.com/blog/media/28/26.jpg
I agree the documentary is a must – even if is the start of a future documentary that covers the transition to next generation of dominant males that will arrive 2 -3 yrs down the road.
Shew the changing dynamics of the lions of SS are a fascinating story and quite hard to follow! I think BB may be skilful and sly enough to have the ability to figure out how best to keep her cubs safe from the Majingilanes … we as humans just don’t know what goes on in their heads, but its definitely a lot more than many give credit for.
Agree a film about the rise and fall of the Mapogos would be sensational – a definite JV story! Please please persuade him!
I wonder how beneficial coalitions are, because it seems there is mass slaughter once a coalition takes hold, even of young cubs which may well be their own. What ever happened to the single or possibly dual male prides? One fears that any of the young males, the Styx male, Windmill males, Nkuhuma males … what chance do they have of ever making it to full adulthood and having their own pride. Its absolutely fascinating.
Thanks so much for keeping us updated.
Mele, there is most definitely a chance that the males in the Eyrefield and Selate pride will be able to form coalitions and challenge the Majingilanes. It is of my belief however, that they will only do this if there is no space for them in their current territory.
It takes alot of effort energy and courage on the part of the male to launch a campaign against other males and even if they do so, they might sustain injuries that will leave them unable to hold onto to what they have won. If there is no need for a fight, I don’t think that lions go looking for it.
Kk, I am not sure what might have happened to the 4th Mapogo, perhaps someone from the western sector of the Sabi Sands who is reading, can give us an update…
Rich, the show is called Predators in Peril and it was filmed on your neighbor’s territory Mala Mala. Very emotional story line. But, in the documentary they named the pride of lions which the Split Rock males control as the Split Rock Pride instead of the Styx Pride. I found the show online. Refer to the links below:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5i0n3_national-gographic-predators-in-per_animals
http://natgeotv.com/asia/predators-in-peril
By the way, thanks alot for these amazing updates.
No problem Bader, will take a look at the links you have sent me below. Very often the same pride will have different names. The styx pride is what we know them as here at Londolozi. I’m sure the film must have been done by Kim Wolhuter.
There’s some mention on Facebook that the Majingilanes are moving West into core Mapogo territory. Guess the end has arrived.
I disagree Al, I saw the Majingilanes in North Eastern Londolozi yesterday afternoon. One of them had a limp and the other two were resting up. They might have been exploring further west, however with the Mapogos boxed into a corner, there might still be some fight left in them if it comes to it…
I’m trying to find information on the Seven Samurai, a coalition of seven dark-maned lions that swept through the Ngorongoro crater in the eighties. Might need to contact Dr.Craig Packer, but its absolutely interesting as in they ruled for almost 10 years and sired hundreds of cubs. Very little info on the net, but will post if I come into.
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/The-Truth-About-Lions.html
Looking at recent videos of the Mapogos conditions, I may have been overestimating the Majings. What really intrigues me, the greatest mystery is when the 5 Mapogos went to the East, in what observers say, the Rasta Mapogo disappeared at around the same time last year, with another wounded Mapogo (Bent Spine)- in your opinion how would a fight like that play out? Could the Rasta Mapogo and the Bent Spine Mapogo have advanced to meet the Majingilanes while Makulu, Mr.t and Dreadlocks stayed back roaring or observing from a distance? Because 5 veteran lions could have surely pushed back or killed a rival or so…….Big Mystery. Would appreciate your opinions.
Hi Rich ,
I want to thank you for your opinion about the posibility for Eyerefield and Selati males to chalange the Majingi . I think it’s realistic one.
Also I want to tale you that I saw Predators in peril documentary and it’s very possible to be a story about the Split Rock male – the father of Solo -Tsalala male . But it wasn’t made by Kim Wolhuter, he never made a movie about lions yet… unfortunately.
Thanks for the info Mele, will try and get hold of the documentary to see who produced it.
You have to be realistic about how these animal’s lives are going to unfold and where their scope of ambition is…
Take a look at this. Any thoughts and opinions?
http://www.sanparks.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=67&t=50211&sid=be5bc335e33c9c838bf7378c78ab4763&start=15
Kim Wolhuter made a documentary called “Predators at War” and was filmed in Mala Mala in 2005.
I think Mele is right on because the five young Selati/Southern Pride sub adult males (3.5 years old) have been seen hanging around central Eastern Sabi Sands (noticed by Ulusuba) and it was noted by Lions Sands that they have been missing from the Southern Pride for the last few months. Looks like they are looking for new territory!!
It shall be very interesting times as new males (four lions about four years old) have been seen encroaching on Majingilanes territory as well – assumed from KNP but not sure.
Thanks heaps for your updates on the fascinating life of these animals.
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