With the sudden change in male lion dynamics, as the Ndzhenga Males pushed north and pursued the Nkuhuma Pride while the Gijima Males once again laid claim to their previous territory, the question arises: What has this meant for the Msuthlu Pride?
It has been a while since we have seen these two males south of the Sand River. However, it seems they are doing well in the north, rating new cubs with the Nkuhuma Pride. It must be said that these two males have been dominant in the Sabi Sands for six years, which is very impressive indeed.
A pride we would only see very occasionally on our southern boundary has all of a sudden become the resident pride roaming central Londolozi. As they are still raising their young (sired by the Gijima Males), it seems that with the shift in the males, they, too, have come north.
It’s hard to believe that we first encountered these lions in 2022 in the northern parts of the reserve as they began their journey south until finally establishing themselves in the southern reaches of the Sabi Sands.
Originally, the pride consisted of 14 lions, four adult lionesses and the rest their offspring, all sired by the Gijima Males.
Over the past two months, however, we have most consistently been seeing three adult lionesses, two subadult males, two young subadult females, and a litter of three younger cubs. There have also been occasional sightings of a lone subadult lion, which could well be one of the missing members of the pride. In addition, reports from our neighbours suggest they have seen a subadult and the remaining adult lioness further south.
You can see the size difference between these two litters as they play on the airstrip apron
It would seem that a subadult was killed by the Nkhulu Males towards the end of last year, which could account for the current numbers we are seeing. In recent times, however, this core pride has been spending much of their time within Londolozi. The Kambula and Ntsevu Prides have largely moved north of the river as they continue raising their young, sired by the Ndzhenga Males.
The two Kambula Lionesses are doing well, raising these six cubs, all over a year old now. Can they continue to evade the new arrivals?
Unfortunately, the other two Kambula Females lost their newest cubs to the Gijima Males at the end of last year. Since then, however, they have been mating with them and both appear to be heavily pregnant. Time will tell what unfolds next. We hope to see a new chapter develop for this pride, which has permanently broken away from their sisters, the other Kambula Lionesses.
The lighter-maned Gijima Male mating with one of the Kambula Lionesses.
There is no doubt that the Msuthlu Pride have provided us with some spectacular sightings over the past few months, and we hope they continue to stick around for a while longer. For now, they seem to have settled into the area with little conflict from the Kambula and Ntsevu Prides. But once those females give birth and begin raising cubs sired by the Gijima Males, things could certainly change. They have recently headed south once again and we hope they reunite with the other adult female and subadult.
For now, we will simply have to wait and see how the story unfolds.
Interesting times for this pride. Lion dynamics are a very fluid pattern
Hi LGR. Thank you so much for putting up such a interesting blog for me to get to see and read. The lion dynamics there aren’t just intense, but also exciting and interesting at the same time. It is such good news that the 2 heavily pregnant litter mate sister adult lionesses of the Kambula pride are nearing the time when they will both go pop as they give birth to the newest cubs sired by the 2 large and impressively powerful Gajima males in the next couple of weeks or so jointly. If they’re both so very heavily pregnant, then I’d think they’ll possibly have at least three or four cubs each. Although they’ll give birth to their own new cubs and raise them together, but once they’ve had their cubs and they’re old enough to come out of the densite, do you think it’s a possibility that they will join up with the other 2 mother lionesses and their 6 – over 1 year old cubs at all?
If the 4 mothers raise all of those cubs as well as the six older ones, then they will and could possibly stand a chance of getting a large brood raised well together. I don’t know what you think of that happening, but it sounds and is very exciting indeed. Though it’s hard to tell, but I’d think the four oldest young cubs will be at least eighteen months old by the time the newest cubs are ready to come out of hiding in their densite there altogether.
The 4 mothers and the six older young cubs plus the new cubs, will be quite a formidable force to be reckoned with by moving together should they all join up. I hope the six older cubs will be moved to safety by their two mothers to avoid any unnecessary trouble if the two new kings are nearby, as the protective mothers wouldn’t want them to get killed after working so hard in raising the cubs to well over a year old together jointly.
It’ll be so interesting to see in the coming months if they’ll all join up with the other unit of the pride, which is 1 adult lioness and 11 big sub adults operating as a powerful unit altogether. If they do, then I think the entire Kambula pride will number at least 30 or so altogether in total by that very stage. Won’t they?
As for the Msuthlu pride, well though there are still 4 adult lionesses in it, along with the surviving offspring sired by the 2 large Gajima males, I know that one or two of the adult lionesses have been seen mating with the 4 new young N’waswishaka males on Sabi Sabi in the last few weeks, but I suppose it is a bit to early to tell if any of their matings are and will be successful over there at all or not by now. Wouldn’t it? It’ll be so nice.
I’m so sure everyone would love to see a few new tiny cubs born into the pride at some stage very soon one day. I don’t know why one adult lioness and one sub adult have been separated from the rest of their pride for quite some time now, but it will be nice to see them rejoin the pride after so long away together. I’d say it is just a absolute mystery as to why they have been awol (missing in action) for a good couple of months or so right now at the moment currently. I don’t think the two Gajima males would start been aggressive towards them, as they both mated with the lioness and they are also the fathers of the missing sub adult. I, like you, hope it’ll only be a matter of time before they reappear safe and well. Do keep the updates pouring through as frequently as possible there please.
Hope to hear from you shortly
Robert 4.4.26
Hi Kirst, superb pictures for a great blog! It seen that, but for the Tsalala lioness who keeps living alone and on the edge, and the two Kambula females alone with their adorable cubs, the lions situation has its positive resolution! Happy Easter to you all! Thanks for this great edition
Terrific report on this pride Kirst. I’ve seen the Msuthlus’ on a previous trip to the SabiSand in 2024 when they were at 14ish, although the newest cubs were still hidden in a den. The other cubs were months old and now comprise the subadults so it’s interesting to learn that already this large pride seems to have fractured a bit – much like the Mhagene pride did back in 2017. It seems once the numbers exceed 10 members it becomes more difficult to feed and support the entire pride. This may be a simplistic projection but over the years of watching and spending time with the various prides, there seems to be a pattern of dividing. At any rate I hope to see this pride once again when I return in a couple of weeks. In the meantime, where is Tsalala? Has she been seen by anyone – and her cubs?!
Hi Kirst, thanks for the update on the Msuthlu pride. I was devastated when the two lionessess lost their cubs to the Gijima males. They tried so hard to keep them hidden. But that is how it goes in the bush. Know there a two more females who have mated with the Gijima males so hopefully these cubs will survive. Having the Gijima males as their father, they certainly have a good chance of survival.