One important point before we get into it: everything in the bush happens generally, not absolutely. Nature rarely follows strict rules, and there are always exceptions. That unpredictability is part of what makes the wilderness so fascinating.

For those unfamiliar with them, the Gijima males are a coalition of two brothers who currently dominate most of Londolozi. They were born in the Greater Kruger ecosystem, presumably around 2016 or 2017, making them approximately nine or ten years old today.

On average, male lions live to around ten to twelve years of age in the wild. Technically, the Gijima males could still have a few years ahead of them — and perhaps they will. However, they are beginning to show the wear and tear that comes with the life of a dominant male lion. Years of territorial disputes and physical confrontations have left them carrying numerous injuries, many of which are permanent reminders of the battles they have endured.

Before considering which males might one day succeed them, there are a few important observations about male lion dynamics worth understanding.

Numbers Matter

The first is that numbers matter.

A coalition of three brothers, even if slightly smaller in stature, will generally stand a far better chance of taking and holding territory than a single large and impressive male. It is exceptionally rare to see a lone male establish and maintain a territory for any significant length of time.

The Othawa Male was a truly impressive but lone male and even he was unable to hold on to a territory for long.

Coalitions are most commonly formed by brothers from the same pride, pushed out together at a similar age. Coalitions of unrelated males do occur, but they are far less common and do not simply form because two males happen to meet. Developing a bond between unrelated males is a gradual process that takes time, and more often than not these encounters end in a chase or both males heading off in opposite directions.

That said, bigger is not always better. Extremely large coalitions often split over time, with subsets breaking away to establish territories of their own.

The Willingness to Fight

The second factor is something less tangible: a male lion’s willingness to fight.

After hearing lions calling throughout the night, we were thrilled to hear that two of the Ndzhenga Males from the south had ventured onto Londolozi. Scent marking as they go.

Male lions spend a great deal of time scent-marking and vocalising to advertise their presence and reinforce territorial boundaries. Most would rather avoid a physical confrontation if possible. This makes sense when you consider the stakes; lion fights can result in severe injuries or death. The Gijima males themselves are living proof of the lasting consequences such encounters can have. If a male can intimidate or chase away an intruder without fighting, that is always the preferred outcome.

Yet some lions seem far more willing to stand their ground and engage than others, and this can make a significant difference when it comes to maintaining dominance. Personally, I believe the Gijima males still have some time left largely because of this trait. They are exceptionally assertive and show little hesitation when challenged.

We saw this recently when the brothers marched south to confront the Nwaswitshaka males after the younger coalition had begun pushing north and vocalising near the southern edge of what the Gijimas consider their territory. We saw it again when the blonde-maned Gijima male crossed the Sand River to confront the Nkuhuma Breakaway Male after the younger lion began roaring. And we saw it when the Gijimas first rose to dominance by moving north under the cover of darkness to displace the previously dominant Ndzhenga males, who, after four years of ruling the Londolozi territory, decided it was best to run rather than stand and fight.

Who Could Be Next?

The Greater Kruger ecosystem is an open system, with lion coalitions constantly shifting, expanding, and competing. While there are many potential challengers beyond Londolozi’s boundaries, I will focus on the individuals and coalitions we see regularly and that I believe have a realistic chance of one day ruling this area.

The newest coalition to arrive on Londolozi has been the four fresh-faced Nwaswitshaka Males. Descending from the same pride in the Kruger National Park that the Ndzhenga Males are from, these young males have added yet another twist to the changing lion dynamics in the area. Despite being distantly related to the Ndzenga Males, its highly unlikely they will tolerate one another should they cross paths.

To the South: The Nwatsisaka Males

To the south of the Gijimas’ territory are the four Nwaswitshaka males. Still young and with their manes not yet fully developed, they have one major advantage: numbers. As a coalition of four, they possess a level of strength that few rivals can match. In my opinion, they are tall, athletic lions that still have some filling out to do. They recently pushed north and began vocalising within what the Gijimas regarded as their territory before being driven back. Only three of the four brothers were present during that encounter, and from what we could piece together, only one of them truly stood his ground against the blonde-maned Gijima. That was impressive in itself — but the real question is whether the others will follow his lead when the time comes.

To the West: The Nkumati Males

To the west lies the Nkumati coalition, formed by the unusual partnership between the Nkuhuma male and the Talamati male. Their alliance is one of the relatively rare examples of unrelated males successfully forming a coalition. Currently, they occupy a fairly small territory west of Londolozi. They also face considerable pressure from the Plains Camp males, arguably some of the largest and most formidable lions in the region. Should that pressure continue to increase, I believe the Nkumati males may eventually look eastward and attempt to expand into Londolozi if an opportunity presents itself.

The Nkumati coalition, having sired offspring with the Mhangeni pride have really had a productive few months. They have added an interesting dynamic to the coalitions found in the Sabi Sands.

The Nomadic Lions

At present, two nomadic males move through the Londolozi landscape, carefully avoiding direct encounters with the Gijima males.

The Nkuhuma Breakaway Male

The first is the Nkuhuma Breakaway Male. Born in 2022 and sired by the Plains Camp males, he is already an impressive lion and clearly carries his father’s genetics. Despite his size, he is still young and likely has further development ahead of him, particularly in terms of body mass and muscularity.

Recently, he began vocalising, prompting the blonde-maned Gijima male to cross the river and confront him. The following morning, we found the Gijima male badly battered, while the Nkuhuma Breakaway Male appeared to have escaped with only a significant cut. At the time the young male was moving with his sister, and my personal suspicion is that she may have become involved and delivered a few unexpected blows. Nobody witnessed the interaction directly, so this remains speculation based on the tracks and signs we interpreted the next morning.

Regardless of exactly what happened, for a four-year-old male to stand up to a dominant Gijima and emerge relatively unscathed is a notable achievement.
Interestingly, the encounter seemed to silence him. Since then he has returned to a quieter and more secretive existence, and we have heard little vocalising from him.

The Styx Male

The second nomadic male is the Styx male, a son of the Ndzhenga males, born in 2021. He is, quite simply, a beautiful lion. Still relatively young and having avoided many major confrontations, he lacks the scars that mark older males. His large blonde mane will likely darken as he ages, adding even more character to an already striking appearance. He is also far from small. Male lions continue adding body mass until around seven years of age, even if they have largely reached their skeletal size by five. The question surrounding the Styx male is not one of size or genetics — it is whether he possesses the willingness to fight that I spoke about earlier.

A Potential Partnership?

My hope, and one shared by many of the guides here, is that the Styx male and the Nkuhuma Breakaway Male eventually form a coalition. Together, they would be an exciting prospect. However, as mentioned earlier, forming a coalition between unrelated males is far from straightforward. The more likely outcome is that they simply part ways, unwilling to risk the potentially fatal consequences of a serious confrontation.

The Nwaswitshaka males, the Styx male, and the Nkuhuma Breakaway Male all appear to have further physical development ahead of them over the next year or two. The Styx male and the Nkuhuma Breakaway Male will almost certainly need to form a coalition — either with each other or with other males — if they hope to establish and maintain a territory of their own. The Nwaswitshaka males already possess the numerical advantage and have begun taking the first steps toward establishing themselves as territorial males to the south. If I was a betting man, my money would be on the Nwaswitshaka males to be next. If I had to be more precise, I would think that once they have taken the territory, the coalition of four would eventually split — two brothers holding the territory to the north around Londolozi, two brothers holding a territory to the south. But then again, this is all just speculation.

So the question remains:

How much longer do the Gijima males have left? Will one of these familiar faces eventually inherit Londolozi, or will an entirely different coalition emerge from the vast Greater Kruger ecosystem to claim the throne before we even see them coming?