I don’t know how many of you have watched the old Indiana Jones movies from the 80’s. But there always seemed to be some sort of ancient trap in which Harrison Ford’s character is about to be squashed by two walls of a cave that are advancing slowly towards him and only in the nick of time does he find the escape route or manage to jam his hat in and so stop the walls’ inexorable advance, thereby escaping a rather unenviable fate.
Well I imagine the Tsalala pride must feel something similar to Indiana Jones, with big prides and their accompanying males pressing in from all sides, slowly squeezing them out of territory.
The number of photos I’ve got of the two Tsalala females (the sub-adult is probably old enough now to have earned that title) that I’ve taken since the beginning of Lockdown I can count on the fingers of two hands, so scarce have sightings been. The two lions have confined their movements to a very narrow band of territory stretching along the Sand and Manyelethi Rivers, and their safety has ultimately lain in their silence. Every few weeks we’ll find tracks of the pair or they’ll show up to rob a leopard of its kill, but for the most part they are ghosts, just a memory that we hope is still out there, but we never really know.
A couple of years ago there was a female leopard that had been fitted with a radio transmitter for research purposes in the Kruger Park, that wandered onto Londolozi and set up shop here for the better part of a month. And no one saw her. Not once! The tracks we saw during that time we presumed were those of one of the territorial individuals, and bushbuck alarming in the Sand River must have been doing it at a leopard we would recognise, but when we were sent the data of this female’s movements, it seemed she had been through camp, around camp and criss-crossing half the reserve without any of us having the first clue.
And that is essentially what the Tsalala pride have been doing.
We don’t hear the Tsalala female roar anymore. She does not need to find a male to mate with for another 6 months at least and to announce her territorial presence will most likely bring down unwanted attention on her head.
Six Mhangeni lionesses to her west.
Six Ntsevu lionesses to her east and south (who she’s already clashed violently with).
Eight Nkuhuma females to her north…
Surely she’s feeling the pinch.
Speculation (which of course we love to do) doesn’t really help much. All we know is the Tsalala female is still here, well over two years since she became a solo lioness. It’s frustrating that we only see her every few weeks, but we’ve started to make our peace with it, and there is less anxiety these days about an extended dearth of sightings of her and her daughter.
During the winter the neighbouring prides will have been focusing on the main water sources in their respective territories, but with summer upon us and water and prey about to be plentiful all over the reserve once more, we are probably going to see more lion movement, which is not something the Tsalala duo want to see happen…
Does the Ntsevu pride hold territory over the whole southren section? Is it possible that there is a space south of the Sand river where the Tsalalas can be safe?
James, I loved all the photos, I especially liked the Lion Tasala🤗
I’m really rooting for her and her cub, it’s been quite while since there has been any news on them – I seem to root for the underdog!!
Tsalala mum reminds me of Lady Liuwa of Liuwa Plain National Park in Zambia. In opposition to Tsalala she was the sole lion existing but just like her she had managed to survive on her own perfectly, although she clearly felt lonely as she looked to humans for companionship. I wish those very successful lionesses to live long and pass their strong genes onto their offspring. Hope you will keep us updated with them
Finger crossed for Tsalala lioness and her cub!
It is indeed a scary time for this lioness and her cub! Wishing them safety from the incredible number of possible threats. Keep us posted.
I look forward to hearing about the Tsalala duo with each blog that is posted. If somehow they are able to survive and thrive thru the next 3 months it will redeem for me the whole of this hideous year. Greg Pingo and Equaliser provided me with a heartwarming sighting of the Mama on my last visit, one which I will never forget. Cheers!
Ever since the Tsalala female became the single member of her once formidable pride, she’s garnered an audience rooting for her survival and success. Now to have successfully raised a cub to sub adulthood is an amazing feat and I have fingers crossed that this summer’s plethora of water and game will not ultimately lead to their demise due to the influx of other large prides. Time will tell!
Fingers still crossed for them , could they move into the plains and away from the larger prides?
I have a huge admiration for the Tsalala lioness and her daughter! They have been so quietly independent for so long, they deserve to live out their lives. Do hope this happens – or somehow will be accepted by one of the other prides (hopefully?) Thanks for the story, James!. WendyM
James, positively and optimistically assuming that the sub-adult female makes it to two years and beyond, how do you foresee the two females’ future playing out over the coming year and a half or so? Obviously it is tough to guess anything in the bush, but with the two Birmingham Males getting older, the Ntsevu females (older) reproducing again, the sub-adult females and males possibly going to split, the Nkuhumas and their growing sub-adults moving south and two of the three Northern Avocas pushing into Londolozi, there are just so many moving parts I only hope that when the time comes for her to reproduce again, the Tsalala Lioness mates with the Birminghams, Avocas, and even the Othawa Male if he is around. To give some perspective of the Avocas’ arrival in the northern Sabi Sands, the last set of Nkuhuma sub-adults (the four younger females of the pride) were about five-months past their second birthdays when the Avocas began to be seen with the Pride regularly.
hi James, I’ve been reading my diary from our trip exactly 3 years ago, and noted we saw the Tsalala pride, then consisting of the adult female plus 4 juveniles (which I’d seen as cubs the previous year). Would all of those juveniles have been males and therefore dispersed soon afterwards?
I love these two lionesses and hope that they may have a future at Londolozi.
it’s always wonderful to see the Tsalala Pride. They each have their own adorable facial/features and energy that bring about a special smile to my day.
Thanks for sharing your insight and pictures of this “super trooper family.”
James, if any other lions get near the dear Tsalalas, will you please shoo them away quickly? lol Her ancestors have given her much natural wisdom and talent. I hope they will always be safe and have long lives to get that bloodline multiplying safely and strongly. My two most favorite lions in the world, I have to see them someday, hopefully soon.
Gosh James what a daunting thought for the pair with 20 enemies closing in on them. I can’t get that video out of my head of the Ntsevu pride attacking the Tsalala female..the thought of another violent confrontation sends chills down my spine. 😳🙏
James, With three prides in the vicinity, Tsalala must hear them and must be intently staying off the radar. We are hoping they make it through and that the mother is able to produce more cubs at some point to continue her lineage!
The two Tsalala Ladies are doing well, I think in time when young Tsalala is big enough to hunt well and breed, they will find somewhere to call their own. I have admired this pride for many years and hope they can continue and return in full glory. Thank you for the updates
Thanks for update, always good to hear from them. Seeing her with all 3 cubs was one of the best sights of my life! It’s very interesting that where there were once 3 mighty prides in the Sabi Sands when I first started visiting, there are now 3 single lionesses with just one cub each fighting for survival. The Sparta pride and Ximhungwe prides, along with the Tsalala pride (who at least have 2 new prides as a mark of their success).
I am not a ‘lion person’ but I love the Tsalalas. I WANT to see them make it.
Hi James… I’m a passionate admirer of the gorgeous Tsalala Queen and now her sub adult princess….they’ve both defied the odds for so long …brave clever and resilient but when you explain the locations of these imposing prides , it really is of great concern….. particularly as summer approaches…as you say, more movement by the prides…so where can they go?…….just hope that they manage to hold onto their secrecy for a long long time….does the Birmingham male ever seek her out these days?….thanks so much for this update James…always wonderful to hear anything about them….
Pauli we haven’t seen that particular Birmingham male with her for a long time. That’s not to say they haven’t ever been together, we just haven’t seen it…
Si interesting, and wishing the best for the Tsalala pride!