The Majingilane can be frustrating animals. With such a vast territory, they are forever traversing from one side to the other; visiting the various prides over which they hold sway and roaring out their calls of dominance to the night air. Their territory is so large that it encompasses a number of properties within the Sabi Sands, not all of which are traversable by us. As a result, much of what happens within the coalition and their interactions with other prides are not witnessed on Londolozi soil, and we must rely on hearsay and second-hand reports to fill in the gaps in their lives.
The stories began filtering in from the west recently that the Majingilane had clashed with the Selati males and possibly killed one of them. Reports of the dead Selati male were premature however, as he was found alive a short while later, injured, but not too badly.
Injuries sustained by one of the Selati males during their encounter with the Majingilane.
Let us not forget that the original four Selati males who overthrew the Mapogo in the west once numbered five, but one of their number was killed by the Majingilane during an ill-advised foray onto Londolozi soil. In fact, looking at the respective histories of the two coalitions, they follow eerily similar paths in many ways. Both the Majingilane and Selati males numbered five originally. Both coalitions took their territories by force, with the Mapogo being on the receiving end each time. While the older and bigger Majingilane have remained four-strong, the Selati males have been reduced to three after one of their number died after reportedly being gored by a buffalo last year.
The Dark-maned Majingilane looks west towards the Ulusaba Koppies, possibly listening for roars of the Selati coalition.
It seems that the Majingilane’s presence further west in the reserve may well be a result of the Mhangeni pride’s movements. With this relatively new pride exploring territory to the south and west, territory which has essentially been a lion no-man’s land until recently, it is quite possible that the Majingilane coalition are trying to put their stamp firmly on this new ground to ensure the Mhangeni females have a safe area in which to raise their cubs. The Mhangeni pride themselves were found recently at Xinkhovana Pan, quite far west on Singita’s property, feeding on the remains of a zebra in attendance with three of the Majingilane (the fourth male, with the scar on his hip, was with the Sparta Pride). The dark-maned Majingilane, believed by many to be the dominant male in the coalition, had separated himself from the pride to lie on a termite mound, staring off into the Western reaches of the reserve, into Selati male territory.
The irony of all this is that the Mapogo, who were ousted by both Selati and Majingilane coalitions, fathered the Mhangeni lionesses, and it is partly their bloodline that now flows through the nine cubs which the Majingilane are trying to protect.
The Dark-maned Majingilane again, stalking through the resting Mhangeni pride. 4 young females and 9 cubs are a pride worth expanding territory for.
Is it the Majingilane that are pushing west as a result of where the Mhangeni lionesses have been operating, or are the Mhangeni females moving the cubs west as a result of Majingilane movement?
We’d love to hear your thoughts…
Written and Photographed by James Tyrrell
Nice update JT. Reckon definitely a case of the Mjingi expanding to further establish the strapping Mhangeni pride. Great to see the fellas going so well still!
Good to hear from you bud!
The boys are looking strong! When you back for a visit?
Jamo
Hopefully June, but already booked for December either way! Just saw your updated post, plot thickening.. Cheers for the updates and regards to all!
Either way, it will be interesting to see what happens next James. I hope they stay on Londolozi because they are so fascinating to watch. We followed one of the Majingilane on a morning in September and I have never seen such an incredible, beautiful animal….so strong and proud. I love your photograph of the Dark-maned with the Mhangeni pride! Thanks James, for the great update!
Thanks James! bottom line is they will go wherever the ladies go!
Thank you for the update… It is crazy to think that on one side, the Majinilane are running with the Mhangeni pride, who are Mapogo daughters, and, on the other side the Selati’s are running with the Ottawa pride, also Maopogo daughters… But, for some reason, all the mapogo male cubs have been reported dead… Unless they accomplished what Solo accomplished in his ventures, growing up (I doubt that though.
Solo is the son of which coalition?
i just love to hear about tales of lions or lion prides. and God knows we need more of these great cats doing well and fathering cubs in the wild. And thank you for your lovely update
Nice observation! Mapogo bloodline is running through 7 lionesses and 17 cubs in total at the moment. It was only few years ago that Mapogo coalition was dubbed a failure in terms of maintaining their gene. Given that the 7 lionesses are still very young, I think Mapogo bloodline is will rule much of the central, Easter and western Sabi sands for many generations. Breeding females are the currency for continuation of genes, not males.
THANKS JAMES FOR THE UPDATE ON THE LIONS.
I AM PLEASED TO SEE YOUR INTEREST IN THE VARIOUS PRIDES AND THEIR ACTIVITIES, AS I USED TO FOLLOW THESE VERY CLOSELY WHEN ADAM BANNISTER USED TO GIVE HIS INSIGHTS ON THE BLOG.
THANKS AGAIN, IT IS GOING TO BE A FASCINATING STORY WHICH WILL UNFOLD IN THE FUTURE.
KIND REGARDS,
TED.
We were with Richie and Lucky on our last drive on Monday morning on Marthly when we found the coalition . 3 looked good but the 4th we thought looked thin and showing perhaps early stages of decline . If true , with their large territory this might represent a chink in their armour . The coalition will inevitably be replaced and we came away thinking perhaps the zenith of their collective stranglehold on their territory was passing and they might not be so unassailable in the next 12 months. When we return next April we’ll certainly know if our instinctive view is right !
Thanks for the blog , James . It brightens many a weary day in Scotland .
Hi Ralph,
We are thinking along the exact same lines. The one not looking so good was the hip-scarred male. The other three have been spending quite a bit of time with the Mhangeni pride while the hip-scarred male has been by himself a bit.
Hopefully the coalition can hang on for awhile, at least long enough to get the current youngsters in the Tsalala and Mhangeni prides through to independence.
Kind Regards
James
like your regular updates about the male coalitions, keep it up
Majingilane is pack of 5 lions originally
One of them..The youngest was killed by mr T Mapogo and Kinky Tail on the eastern part of Sabi sands.eegion
I found it very faacinating reading the lion.warfare
Kinky tail mapogo waa.killes.by Majingilabe.on the very day one.of their.brothera killes..happenes.midnight
Mr T mapogo found hia fate killed by Majingilane pack afterward….so they are Kings.later on.after the legens mapogo era.
Makhulu..pretty boy are the last of mapogo alive.
Obviously, the mapogo blood line continuos.The mix might even produce better lions in future! I guess in lion world,it is an advantage to be a girl!!!