About the Author

James Souchon

Field Guide

James started his guiding career at the world-renowned Phinda Game Reserve, spending four years learning about and showing guests the wonder of the incredibly rich biodiversity that the Maputaland area of South Africa has to offer. Having always wanted to guide in the ...

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33 Comments

on Update: Tsalala Female and Cub

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It is actually such a feel good story. Lets hope that in a few years the Tsalala pride will be strong again.

Tsalala Lioness reminds me a documentary by Dereck Joubert, the Last Lions, where the main character is a brave lioness escaping lots of danger starting from a pride of lions to protect her three young cubs. Ma di Tau’s fight for her offspring looks so alike this great Mum. I hope they will both get through they are real natural selection. Thanks for the update and as always the wonderful pictures.

Lots of parallels in the two stories…

Hello James, Londolozi has become a top site to visit for me and I’m spreading the info to other people who work at universities too and are interested. What is the best time to be able to see the special leopard dynasty and as many animal species as possible? Thanks!

Senior Digital Ranger

She is one tough cookie! I really enjoy the updates, thanks for this one James

James, I loved all the photos🤗

James, unfornately we will not be coming for 50th anniversary – but in 2021 we will be coming for our 51st anniversary

Great to hear Joan,
Looking forward to having you here!

Beautiful photos and great job narrating this underdog story so many have been following!

Senior Digital Ranger

The Tsalala Pride has been one of my favorite prides since I was introduced to them in 2009. I have read all I can find about their history and a very much admire the protection that Bebe & then her daughter gave to the youngsters during the perilous times of takeover. I hope their future will again be one of a large healthy pride. Thank you for Sharing

I remember well that awful incident ..gosh it does seem like the odds of her cub surviving and the two of them going on to strengthen their numbers could be difficult. Let’s hope they manage 🙏🏻🤞❤️

It’s really great that this lioness and her cub are still fine and in good health. I keep my fingers crossed for their future wellbeing and that they can increase their numbers.
Hearing about all the animals at Londolozi in these still quite difficult times is like a ray of sunshine!

Thank you for the update on these two remarkable lionesses. Tsalala has been doing a great job protecting her cub, now a juvenile, and we all hope she makes it through to adulthood when she might have cubs to carry on the legacy. Like with the wild dogs, you never can predict what an outcome might be.

The Tsalala pride certainly has had a rough go of it. I remember seeing the two lionesses with Cubs last time I was there. I never did find out what happened to the other lioness . I do hope Mom and cub make it through and can expand their pride.

I would love to get to know Tsalala and her puppy up close. I love her and her puppy. We also love other lionesses who care for their young.

Senior Digital Ranger

Such wonderful news about the Tsalala Mama and her cub! (not to mention beautiful pictures of them!) – As much as the mama has her instincts in place, You can’t help but think in concern that it’s too bad that the rangers (or trackers) while viewing Mama Tsalala and her cub, can’t “Somehow” find a way, if need be, to deter the male lions, if they should get close enough to attempt to harm them. –
It’s amazing to think and see how Mama Tsalala and her lone cub have proven themselves to be true survivors! That in and of itself, is a proud and inspiring concept to consider amidst the quest that we are challenged with as humans.

Senior Digital Ranger

She is quite the lioness!!! Thanks for the update on her as well as a bit of the history once again!

I love the fact this mother has overcome so much being attacked and able to leave alive is spectacular meaning another day with her cub to keep her safe, hopefully more days or years to do so, now im from Kansas so definately nothing cool but tornadoes, and thats what she reminds me of powerful a whirlwind of life

Amazing stuff, thank you

Love hearing about these two amazing girls, thank you for sharing. I hope they have a protective shield around them for the rest of their lives and I hope to be fortunate enough to see those precious two on my future visit.

We love your stories and look more than ever to our first visit with Londolozi, Really sorry w are all effected by this virus. Keep everyone safe, we will see you in 2021. Reservations all set/
Mitch

Senior Digital Ranger

What a special lioness. I have lot of respect for the Tsalala lioness and cub

Great Update guys.

Hi James, thankyou once again for your wonderful footage and commentary re the beautiful Tsalala femaleand her precious daughter…. I hold my breath every time I open up any news of them!… I’ve followed this remarkable pride for some time now….it’s an incredible story….wishing them all the luck in the world…take care

Senior Digital Ranger

This a beautiful Story Between a mother and her daughter. AND Hoping to see the young female cub grow up and have her own family someday. As for Mom I hope she will stay around her daughter and watch her grow into a beautiful adult Lioness and with her grand babies.

I am always keen to hear how this amazing lioness is doing and I too held my breath watching the video of her attack. Who could not want to see her do well and go on to form a magnificent pride. Keep up the great blogs that I so enjoy.

Hi James. I quite agree that it would be simply great to see the Tsalala pride grow and grow in numbers. I really take my hate off to the lone Tsalala Mom and her young cub! Very courageous and capable lioness and her daughter will probably be very like Mom because of the training she is getting from her mother. Wendy M

Digital Ranger

We can also hope that some young lioness will break away from Ntsevu Pride, then it will benefit for everybody

Thanks for the update, James, fingers crossed for her and her cub. I’ve seen the Birmingham males and they’re pretty impressive, how do the Northern Avoca pair compare for size and age?

Thanks James, really nice to hear about them again……

Beautiful photography and a heartening story. So glad they came out of their very treacherous experience of w few weeks back with little to no permanent injury. Wishing them all the best as they endeavor to grow their pride.

Queen Tsalala reigns! I have followed her closely these past few years through all her hard challenges. That she even survived alone is a feat, but to have a cub and have it thrive is wonderful. I was SO unhappy to see her attacked and injured….that was some footage! But here she is again safe. Great writing James S. superb images.

She’s an absolute legend. I’ve followed her story from when I first saw her in 2016 when she was still with the tailless female and the 3 boys. He life would make one heck of a documentary!

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