The movements of Londolozi’s lion prides are usually dictated by either the season or the resident male population. Lionesses might be hiding their cubs from an invading male coalition, or taking advantage of the bounty of the season wherever the prey populations are focusing. The Tsalala pride regularly did both; they split to avoid the invading Majingilane (a split from which the Mhangeni pride formed), and in the summer months they resided almost exclusively along the crests and marula clearings to the east of camp, feeding mainly on the wildebeest calves and their mothers that were drawn to the area by good grazing.
The Tsalala females were renowned for their wilderness hunting prowess. Their hunts would regularly take place in the day. Photograph by David Dampier.
The Sparta pride used to confine their activities mainly to the Sand River during the winter months, when grazing and water were scarce, and large herbivores like buffalo and kudu in particular would often be found along the riverbanks. When the Ntsevu pride pushed the Sparta lioness out in 2016, we wondered what territory this new group of six lionesses would establish. Well so far it has mirrored almost exactly that of their predecessors. Winter time is river time, and summer generally sees more of a spread.
With the rains, the pans have filled up, water is everywhere, and prey species that were previously far more dependent on water courses for both their food and drink are well spread out across the reserve, and the Ntsevu females have started moving further afield to follow them. The cover that the riparian fringes of the Sand River provides during the dry season is now to be found everywhere in expansive bushwillow thickets grass whose leaves prevent more than a few metres sight in a straight line.
Moving far west on occasion, there has been a marked rise in sightings of the pride and their cubs since the onset of the rains, and if the trend continues, this summer could be one of our more productive in terms of lion viewing for a few years.
I don’t know what is happening to the east of the Ntsevu pride territory, out towards the Kruger Park boundary, but to the west of them the first pride they are likely to encounter is the Mhangeni pride, who drift in and our of western Londolozi. Also currently raising cubs, although not quite as many as their daughters (the Ntsevu pride was birthed by the Mhangeni females), it would be interesting to see what would happen should a clash occur, something about which we’ve speculated before. The Tsalala female had a huge run-in with the Mhangeni lionesses a few years back, so the whole mother-daughter relationship can go out the window after a few years of separation. However recognition or long-term memory works between lions, bloodlines can mean nothing when it comes to a sudden encounter, particularly if the need to protect young cubs is there.
As aggressive as lionesses can appear towards their own cubs or cubs in their pride – especially when the cubs are annoyingly persistent in their attempts to access milk – their are very few lengths the adult females would not go to to protect them.
These aren’t even all the cubs in the pride. There are another 6! With no previous success in raising cubs, the Ntsevu females are doing a lot better this time around.
With a good few months left before the area starts drying out and the bush opens up again, it’s more than likely that the six Ntsevu females will continue taking advantage of the burgeoning impala and wildebeest populations on Londolozi. Although mostly confining their movements to the south-eastern sectors of the reserve, the last week or two has seen them pushing further and further west, and only three days ago they were found as a full pride of six (without the cubs), which is something we haven’t seen much of over the course of the last year.
With the lion viewing on the rise, the Birmingham males still firmly in control, and 13 Ntsevu cubs regularly being seen around Londolozi, it looks like it might be a summer to remember…
Can the Ntsevu pride be classified as a “super pride”?It is just speculation, but if all the cubs survive and it depend on how many of them are female and they reproduce and stay with the pride, it can be the beginning of a huge (and hugely) successful pride.
Hi Marinda,
I don’t think just yet. It will depend very much on cub mortality rate, and I’m not sure what the sexes are, but as far as I know, so-called Super Prides are only classified as such when they have edged over the 20 mark. Because most cubs don’t make it to adulthood, I think it will be a while before we see the Ntsevu pride reaching this number, especially as given the history in the area and of their lineage, we can probably expect a split if they have too many sub-adults.
Maybe one day…
New life abounds and I wish I were there. Thanks for some really good photos
Wonderful! Thank you for all your hard work. I love starting my day with your Blog,
best in 2019,
Laura
Hello 2019! I have started counting the days till I can see all these cute little lions myself in Londolozi in a few weeks time. And all your leopards and other splendid animals.
The Ntsevu Pride going to be an incredible sight when the cubs are grown up!
What a great way to begin my day, seeing more photos of these adorable cubs. Thanks to Guy and his secret contact, we were able to view some of the smallest cubs back in late November. I sent you a few but have many more of their antics, including faux fighting with each other and their older cousins. I am hopeful this pride will be able to raise all of their cubs……. keep us posted. ???
All 13 were fathered by the Birmingham males? Is the Tsalala female pregnant as yet?
Hi Mary Beth, it actually looks like she is! We haven’t seen her in the last 36 hours but she was seen crossing the airstrip at midday two days ago and apparently looked heavily pregnant!!
Dear James. This is an interesting “catch up” on the lion news at Londolozi. So glad you guys have had good rains which have arrived here too – late – but still oh so welcome. Wendy M
I’m so excited about the Ntsevu pride’s size. Actually, it makes me smile seeing all these cubs bounding around….then I think of all the willing work these Lionesses do daily. Exhausting. Case in point was your image of one cub persistently attempting to nurse while another cub was pouncing on her back! That gave me a good laugh. All these images were superior, James and I wish this pride the very best moving forward this year.
How wonderful to see so many little cubs! Hopefully we’ll be able to see them when we’re there in a few days, they lions were quite elusive on our last visit
Great story and awesome photos. There are many cubs and I hope they all survive.