In a place where the contest between life and death is so keen, it seems ironic that the passing of a Londolozi lioness should draw much attention in the greater scheme of living and dying. For all of the reasons that make the wildlife of Londolozi so special it is with great sadness that we report the passing of the oldest Sparta lioness.
Over the past month, the Sparta Pride have slowed their erratic movements around Londolozi in order to allow this aged and struggling lioness to keep up with the pride. With an unnaturally swollen stomach and a gaunt, ribbed physique she battled the disease that plagued her. A few nights ago she gave up on her attempts to remain with her pride and she was reported dead by the East yesterday morning. Speculation a few months ago was that she was heavily pregnant. Sadly the hopes of new life within her were to ultimately be misguided and potentially the cause of death.
In her final weeks, the lioness would struggle gamely along with the pride. What will happen to the three young adult lioness that are left? Will they be able to handle the burden of raising 7 cubs without an experienced lioness to lead the pride?
In many respects she was “the Iron Lady’ of Londolozi. She was fathered by the infamous Sparta Males and having been born towards the end of 2000 she was the sister and littermate of the now disbanded Mapogo coalition. Poignantly she outlived all of her sisters and all but two of her 6 brothers. She guided her daughters through their first attempts at raising youngsters and in a place so wild and savage to the aspirations of lion, the fact that she can boast to have left a legacy is telling and alone makes her remarkable.
A supreme huntress, the lioness led the Sparta pride on this afternoon. She stalked straight through the middle of the clearing, using every scrap of cover. The waterbuck in the distance occasionally thought it saw something, but as soon as it raised its head, the lioness would freeze, sometimes with two paws off the ground, sometimes for 10 mins at a time. After a 50 minute stalk, the pride took down a waterbuck calf.
She endured the rangers and trackers of Londolozi and our sometimes muddled attempts to find her. For 13 years she suffered the attentions of thousands of cameras, pointed fingers and somewhat blasphemous exclamations of delight. She allowed us to follow her in the hunt, take a first look at her cubs and chatter away endlessly whilst she slept on those sunlit summer afternoons.
Over the last 13 years this lioness has provided wonderful viewing for Londolozi rangers, trackers and guests alike. Here, Alfie Mathebula, Bennet Mathonsi and their guests enjoy a sighting in the Maxabene Riverbed, only a few weeks before the lioness’ death.
The irony of two “Iron Ladies” passing within a week is not lost on many of us here. Both are now finally at rest and whilst the world debates the appropriateness of “Ding, dong the witch is dead” we’ll forgive some of the local inhabitants of the grasslands of Sparta for not mourning her passing. For the rest of us though we’ll cherish the memory of a truly great lioness.
Written by Tom Imrie
Photographed by James Tyrrell
Exceptionally well written Tom. A sad loss to the entire Sabi Sands. She will be remembered by all…
nicely write up, Tom. A loss to the pride for sure.
Thank you Tom and James for the wonderful write up and photo’s of her, very sad indeed
Well written Tom!! A great loss!! Eager to see the future of the Sparta pride!
I was at Tree Camp in January. After reading your post, I went and checked my photos and a iPhone video and I am pretty sure I captured this beauty multiple times. The circle of life keeps on moving.
Her endurance over the years has been incredible. You have told her story beautifully, thank you!
Good words for the Icon Tom.
A beautiful piece, Tom.
I think the pride is in for a tough Winter…
James T
Thank you Tom and James, very moving story and beautiful photos as always. I’m very touched, sometimes I feel closer to these animals than some in my own family! 🙂 In case you can’t tell, I love the blogs…J
Thank You guys..sad story…RIP Iron Lady!!!!!
Very touching and sad, bye jewel of the forest.
We can only hope she has passed her knowledge on to her daughters and granddaughters. She will be sorely missed.. what a lion the Sparta Male must have been! who was their mother? They sure produced some leaders didn’t they? Long live the line of the Sparta!
RIP and thank you for all the memories.
Brought tears to my eyes as I recall time spent with this magnificent lioness, she will be missed. Thank you for letting us know.
A dignified obituary, well done Tom
Well done Tom, it is not easy to do justice to any icon but your words and James’ photos are pretty special. Having made her acquaintance many times I will miss her but, I suspect, not as much as the Londo’s host of rangers and trackers. We look forward to seeing how the cubs have got on maybe next summer.
Very well written & photographed thank you both for the farewell to a beautiful lioness!
Thanks so much for this Tommo, a great tribute as always.
Beautifully written Tom, she lead an incredible life and will always be remembered…. Great photos JT!
thanks for blog
Beautiful words Tom, even though your heart must be sore.
This Iron Lady too will never be forgotten.
Mahalo.
Well done, so well written, full of emotion!!!! Even though we did not meet her when we went to Londolozi I could feel so emotional about it.. Beautiful words about an icon as some people said.
A terrible loss but at least she is at rest. We luckily enough got to see the Iron Lady for the very last time on our trip to Londolozi thanks to our stay.
Very sad news. R.I.P. my lionness. I will not forget you.
Thanks, any chance of an autopsyto find out about the cause of death and the lump?
So sad. I feel priviledged to have seen her in her final days. Thank you for your sensitive and sincere words Tom.
Very nice right up and nice reminder that she was the Mapogo’s sister
Who was the second Iron Lady to pass?
Hi Mike,
The second ‘Iron Lady’ to pass was not one of Londolozi’s own but rather Margaret Thatcher who passed away in the same week.
Kindest reagards,
Kate
Two great regal old girls gone so close together. Sad upon sad. On to be recycled into the earth in this great circle of life. Such a well written blog with great photos. Beautiful tribute to a beautiful lioness.
Wow, that was so beautifully written, brought tears to my eyes…what a sad ending to such a wonderful life! Hopefully her legacy survives the continuous onslaught of challenges faced by our wildlife.