For almost two years now, the Northern section of Londolozi has not been occupied by a dominant pride of lions. This area – known as Marthly – was previously home to the much adored Tsalala pride. During 2017 and early 2018 the once pride suffered a run of bad luck and a combination of old age of some members and attacks from other lions whittled the pride down to one female. Under these circumstances, it is amazing the Tsalala lioness has managed to thrive on her own for so long considering how reliant lions are on their pride for survival. The resilient-as-ever Tsalala female has even managed to raise her cub to almost a year old despite the trying times. In order to keep her cub safe, she has had to sacrifice her former pride’s sprawling territory and concentrate her hunting efforts almost exclusively in the area surrounding the Sand River where prey is plentiful and there are good hiding spots for the cub.
The result of the Tsalala female’s territorial downsizing is that the Marthly is consequently available for any lion pride that is willing to claim it. Marthly is the ideal place for lions – it has the Manyelethi River that provides water points almost all year round, it has numerous beautiful rocky outcrops where young cubs can be safely left whilst the females are out hunting and its patchwork of open grassy crests and thick riverine vegetation supports many of the lions’ preferred prey species. Until recently, this prime territory remained unoccupied and instead it served a safe haven for a few different younger lions that had left their respective prides as well as a stopover for the nomadic Styx pride as they meandered their way through the greater Sabi Sands area. It began to feel as though Marthly was just too good to be true and that we might not get to see this unique place get the lion pride it seemed to deserve…
The Tsalala pride wile away the afternoon in the sand of the Manyelethi River, a river that meanders its way through the Northern parts of Londolozi.
That is until late one steamy January morning. Tracker Bennet Mathonsi and I had been out that morning exploring the north with our guests and were just about to stop for a coffee break when our plans got derailed by fresh tracks of a large pride of lions close to the spot we had selected for our break.
Bennet leaped off the tracker’s seat and immediately began following. I always find tracking lions exciting but this time I was more excited than usual; who were these mystery lions whose tracks appeared on Londolozi overnight? We didn’t have to wait very long to find out. Bennet called me on the radio and said he had found the lions so we drove into the long grass and were delighted with the sight that awaited us. Up ahead were sixteen lions; nine young cubs, six females and one male – a full complement of the Nkuhuma pride and one of the two Northern Avoca males for good measure. We watched them as they walked through the grass towards a pristine pool of water in the Manyelethi River where they paused to drink before moving up the far bank to seek shade amongst the boulders.
Since that morning, we have seen the Nkuhuma pride on Marthly almost every other day. This pride – that originates from further north of Londolozi – have spent most of their time in the northern Sabi Sand Reserve but it seems as though the allure of an unoccupied Marthly has finally drawn them further south. The Nkuhuma pride currently consists of six females of varying ages and nine cubs, the oldest of which were born in the middle of last year and the youngest only born in December 2019. The fathers of the Nkuhuma pride’s latest cubs are the Northern Avoca males who are the dominant male lions in the Northern Sabi Sands and are regularly seen with the pride.
With sightings of this pride becoming more and more frequent, it is my hope that the Nkuhuma pride will become one of the mainstay prides of Londolozi.
This is great news.
Thanks! But I thought that at least some of the Nkuhuma’s were Tsalala cubs some time ago?
Not at all
I later realised it is the Ntsevu pride that is related to the Tsalalas…………..
Very interesting. It’s always wonderful to have updates on Lion prides and especially the Nkuhumas. They certainly look healthy and well and awesome to know the nine cubs are safe. Many thanks. 👍😍
Nick, I really enjoy the changing of territory and the evolution of the prides. Great pictures. Please also keep us posted on the Tsalala female and her cub. I don’t know how she survives among these other larger prides but hope for her continuing success. Change is always happening and I read this blog each day with great anticipation of what I will hear next. Thanks
Nick, great blog today – I hope I see Nkuhuma pride while we are there in Sept 2020
How exciting this is! So many of them too! Thanks for this news! Wendy M
Hi Nick! The ages of the Nkuhuma lionesses (eight total) are as follows:
1 lioness born mid-2012 (the Purple-eyed Lioness, mother of the second-youngest litter, 2 cubs)
2 lionesses born December 2012 (the Amber-eyed lioness, mother of the second-oldest litter -4 cubs, lioness with the Ridges on her nose, mother of the oldest litter, 2 cubs)
1 lioness born 2013 (mother of the youngest litter, 1 cub)
2 lionesses born May 2016 (offspring of the Birminghams, one often spends time away from the Pride, the other has recently been mating with one of the Northern Avocas; daughters of the Purple-eyed Lioness)
1 lioness born late May-early June 2016 (offspring of the Birminghams, has tattered ears)
1 lioness born July 2016 (offspring of the Birminghams, daughter of the lioness with the Ridged nose)
The Oldest two cubs were born in May of last year, the middle four in July of last year, the third litter of two – originally three – in August, and the youngest cub born in a litter originally numbering four
Hi Michael, thanks for your reply.
We have also seen the above breakdown of the pride numbers on the Nkuhuma Facebook fanpage but we are yet to see the eight lionesses together. The most we have seen together at one time is six, so we are unsure of the whereabouts of the other two (maybe they have left the pride temporarily?). It will be interesting to see how the dynamics develop.
That’s interesting to hear. Thanks Nick!
Interesting times … Let us hope the remaining Tasala lioness does not fall victim to internecine lion warfare
Thank you for the update on the Nkuhuma Pride.. We will miss seeing them up North on Live Drives. I hope they have a long and happy tenure on the Marthly area of Londolozi.
This is exciting news! We hope to catch more than a glimpse next month during our visit!
These cubs are getting so big! This is a great pride of lions, and I know they will do well wherever they decide to settle.
Superb news! It will be great to have another large pride to follow in addition to the Ntsevu pride and Birmingham boys.
the arrival of another pride sounds like the lion life will get extremely interesting. This info is from a story inthe New York Times. it seems that Cuba has passed a ban on the selling of team meats in the open air markets. it seems that several years ago such a ban was passed but not strictly enforced. now that they think the pangolin is a carrier of the corona virus, maybe this will help the pangolin. fingers crossed. Victoria
What exciting news! Looking forward to hearing updates on this Pride.
I am so thrilled to see and hear that the Nkuhumas are thriving. Still have all 9 cubs!!! I miss seeing them on Wild Earth.
No one really knows why an established pride would pack up and move somewhere else and especially with so many cubs and one hopes they will return to Djuma. As for their numbers, there are five adult lionesses, four lionesses on the verge of adulthood and nine cubs and I believe six of them are male but not 100% sure
Nick
Just signing on to the site and the blog. We were with you in late January. Wondering whether this Pride is the same one we observed on our last day or two? I have some great photos – not sure how to post them here?
Hey Ron, nice to hear from you! No, this pride is a different pride that we hadn’t seen in a long time until they resurfaced again this year. The pride we saw was the Ntsevu pride who are dominant in the south eastern parts of Londolozi.