The deep south of our traversing area is a difficult place to track animals. Hard road surfaces, long grass as far as the eye can see and scant game paths often leave one scratching one’s head, trying to work out where on earth the predators you are looking for have hidden themselves.
The pride engage in nuzzling behaviour, reinforcing the bond between individuals
It is in this area however, that one of Londolozi’s most elusive lion prides provides us with occasional drama. The Southern or Selati Pride sometimes poke their noses into our property from the reserves south of us, so it was with great excitement that we received reports of them lying up one evening at a prominent waterhole.
The lame-hipped Kruger Male quenches his thirst. His left rear hip (the injured one) can be seen sticking out at an unusual angle in this photograph
Two Londolozi rangers headed down there early the next morning to try and find them, but three hours of tracking revealed little else but some dusty footprints, a totally consumed zebra carcass, and one slightly scruffy hyena sniffing about. The lions’ tracks headed back over the boundary, so it was to our great surprise that late that same evening, they had crossed back onto our property, and were spotted by tracker Andrea Sithole.
Doubting they would still be there in the morning, we nevertheless returned to the scene, and as we expected, only tracks in the sand heading south over the boundary revealed that they had ever been there.
While scouring the surrounding roads in the hope that they might still be around, we received a radio call from ranger Dean Smithyman that he and tracker Freddy Ngobeni had heard the sound of lions fighting to the east of us. Three vehicles immediately moved into the area, and within half an hour the pride had been found, far to the north of where we expected them to be, outside their usual territory, deep in the territory of the Sparta Pride.
The two enormous Kruger males display a Flehmen grimace. This exposes a special organ in their palate to pheromones contained in the urine of other lions, and enables them to determine a lot of information about that individual; age, sex, reproductive condition, etc.
We will never know what the reason for the growling and snarling was. Had the two enormous male lions with the pride (known as the Kruger Males) had a run-in with the Majingilane coalition? Had the pride been fighting over a kill? Blood on the nose of one of the males and a cut on a lionesses’ flank were the only clues as they headed steadily back to more familiar ground in the South. We were content to let the mystery lie, and simply enjoy an exquisite morning with the largest lion pride currently in the Sabi Sand.
A South pride lioness with some of the pride’s sub-adults
Written and Photographed by: James Tyrrell
I’ve read several blogs where the KNP males have been described as huge, or enormous. Are these two brothers particularly large for males?
And is it just me, or are these two playing with fire coming into maji territory?
The KNPs and the southern pride seem to be making a habit of it.
Thanks for the update!
I don´t think they met the Majingilane males, because if they did, the knp males would be deaht by now, 4 against 2 is too much advantage.
So interesting, exiting and beautiful!!!!!
Lions do what lions do and so magnificently!
You know anything about a fight between the Mapogos and kruger Males?
Thank you…when exactly was this sighting?
Hi James,
Can you tell us a date of the morning you found them?
Thanks
youre right Thelma but the Majingilane males are usually not all 4 together, and if the 2 Kruger males and Selati pride(7 lionesses) ran into all 4 Majingilane males and the Krugers and Selati lionesses had their heart in the fight because of protecting the cubs from the Majingilane then the Majingilane males might be 1 or 2 males down by the end of the fight because the 2 males and 7 lionesses would be to much for even the 4 Majingilane
Yes , don’t mess with a lioness and her cubs, NEVER! , good point Jason. ( I didn’t think in that fact)
Todd they are big males, but just recently a ranger at Sabi Sabi stated the 2 old Mapogo were physically bigger than the 2 Kruger males
I’ve heard rumours of a giant coalition of ten male Lions somewhere in Kruger. Can someone verify this ? It’s the biggest coalition I’ve ever heard of.
Thanks for the update on the Selati/Southern Pride.. Hope they stay safe and far from the Majingilanes.. Love the Flehmen Grimace, it makes them look like they are laughing…
Great blog entry and wonderful photographs to go with it!
Great photo’s Jamo – a special sighting!
There is a high probability the KNP males may have downed Makulu Mapogo. Word from a private message, from a ranger/guide, indicates a head being found in the last direction a very wounded lion was being chased by the KNP. Has anyone in Londolozi heard anything so far? Lots of people on FB seem quite anxious to know.
Thanks
Todd these are indeed very big males, definitely bigger that the Majingilane. They have been around our Southern areas once or twice more since this sighting, and their paw prints alone dwarf those of the Majingilane. As Thelma says, 4 vs 2 might be too much for them to handle if they do bump into one another, and with one of the Kruger males having a lame hip, it would be fair to assume that the Majingilane males would come out on top in an encounter.
Exactly , the knp male with the limp is an easy target.
The sighting took place on July 14th, but the Pride’s tracks and those of the Kruger males have been seen a number of times since then on or near our Southern Boundary.
I might go down there tomorrow morning to take a look….
Raoul it’s the Skybeds/Orpen males and they used to be 11, 1 was killed by the 6 Matimbas in Manyeleti, 1 has a broken leg or hip injury and has been on his own for around 1 year or so scavenging kills from Hyenas and the other 9 have been together in Northern Manyeleti, Orpen area and Ngala in Timbavati. They seem to be having a sort of split in the coalition as we speak, large coalitions of 6 or more seem to split often because all the males want to be able to mate and be dominant, with a coalition of 9 the 3 or 4 less dominant members might never get to mate if they stay with the rest.
is it true that dreadlocks from mapogo was killed by ##### pouchers?
please some one get back to me.
No it is not true
Thanks for the info James! I’ve always had a soft spot for the Kruger males. The only small coalition to really have any success in the area.
Not to completely get off topic, but has there been any word on solo, the tsalala/marthy male??
Todd we haven’t seen the Tsalala male around for about 2 months now. I remember hearing something about him being seen northwest of Marthly, but I might be thinking of another lion, so will have to check for you
Interesting pride. They killed off most of the Charelstons I guess-maybe they are trying to expand-as they need more territory to feed themselves?
Do lions kill elephants in the Kruger area. I was reading about an elephant killing pride in Botswana-just wondered if any such prides exist in Kruger. This pride is probably big enough to take on a juvenile elephant??
cheers for puting my mind at ease rich love the mapogos,any word on the last two
kings of the mapogo?
Any New Mapogo information?Mak Alive?
can some one please let us no about makulu there has been a rumor going around
saying he has been killed? I just want to say to the people on face book let the profesionals
update us on whats goin on we do not want to hear rubish that is not true let the rangers do there jobs
londolozi is an amazing place and i think all those involved with the reserve should be proud, well done to all the staff .
No one seems to know anything about Mak:(
Thanks James & Rich. Appreciate the clarifications.
wow a selati lion was watching one of the mapogos i wonder what is going to hapen if the brothers will be informed
I think we all really apreciate the time for this blog, THANK YOU GUYS.
Are the KNP lions also known as the matimbas?
Hi Toni,
The Matimbas are not known as anything else as far as I’m aware. The Kruger Males from this post are different lions entirely, although they look similar. I believe both Kruger males are dead now sadly.