MalaMala - The Wildlife

MLOWATHI PRIDE

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December 2003

MLOWATHI PRIDE = 3
1 ADULT LIONESS
2 LIONESSES * 2 YEARS 8 MONTHS

Location: SE MARTHLY/ EYREFIELD-MALA MALA BOUNDARY

The four sightings of the Mlowathi Pride were of them mostly in the western parts of their range. However, given the secretive nature of these lionesses, it would come as no surprise if they had been in other places as well, moving with some stealth so as not to attract the attentions of whatever local lions' territory they happened to be invading at the time.

The last three sightings of the Mlowathi Pride were on successive days. They were seen killing a female nyala on the first night, resting on the second and then leaving the area on the third, killing something small as they moved on. The nyala kill demonstrated just how accomplished the two younger lionesses are, working exceptionally well together with the adult.

It will be interesting to see just what happens when the inevitable occurs and they come into season and seek out male lions for mating.

November 2003

MLOWATHI PRIDE = 3
1 ADULT LIONESS
2 LIONESSES * 2 YEARS 7 MONTHS

Location: SE MARTHLY/ EYREFIELD-MALA MALA BOUNDARY

Although there were only three sightings of the Mlowathi Pride this month, there was some interesting insight into just how this lion family relates to some others in the area. As far as is known, the Mlowathi Pride really has no area under their control and also has no male lion or group of male lions 'caring' for them and it was this last point which was demonstrated when they approached one of the Split Rock Males which was feeding on a buffalo carcass on NW Mala Mala. Instead of welcoming the three lionesses (or at least tolerating them), the Split Rock Male wanted nothing to do with them and the lionesses left the area. A year ago, when the Mlowathi Pride first appeared on the scene, the West Street Males also chased them off. This then must be their life when it comes to dominant male lions; they have no need for them at present and all they really should do if they are to survive well is avoid them. Of course all of this will change when they come into season and bodily functions dominate.

Towards the middle of November, the three Mlowathi Pride lionesses were found resting close to where the Styx Pride was eating a zebra on eastern Eyrefield. The Styx Pride had been very active in the area and the Mlowathi Pride simply must have known that they were nearby, but didn't try to approach them or even flee in terror. This type of almost passive acceptance of each other has been seen before, with neither Styx Pride nor Mlowathi Pride showing too much concern over one another's' activities, as long as they generally stay apart. Some evidence, of course, suggests that the one young lioness of the Mlowathi Pride is in actual fact from the Styx Pride.

October 2003

MLOWATHI PRIDE = 3
1 ADULT LIONESS
2 LIONESSES * 2 YEARS 6 MONTHS

Location: SE MARTHLY/ SW EYREFIELD/ NW MALA MALA

The Mlowathi Pride was seen four times this month and twice they interacted with the Eyrefield Pride and West Street Males. On the first occasion, they had been drawn to the scene of a buffalo carcass which was opposite the Main Camp, probably after hearing a huge uproar as the West Street Males and Eyrefield Pride surrounded and harassed an old male lion which had tried to sneak a bite to eat. When the Mlowathi Pride saw what they were up against, they fled, as silently as they had arrived. As far as is known, the other lions were never aware that they had been observed.

On the second occasion, the three lionesses had managed to kill a female buffalo, but this was well within Eyrefield Pride territory and, as luck would have it, members of this family were nearby, themselves having just finished off another buffalo kill. The inevitable happened and the Eyrefield Pride chased the three Mlowathi Pride lions from their kill. Since the Mlowathi Pride was outside their home-ground (wherever that might be) and inside that of the Eyrefield Pride, they put up no fight whatsoever and simply took off.

Nevertheless, in spite of various levels of insecurity, the Mlowathi Pride lionesses appear to be in fine condition and are clearly getting enough to eat.

September 2003

MLOWATHI PRIDE = 3
1 ADULT LIONESS
2 LIONESSES * 2 YEARS 5 MONTHS

Location: SE MARTHLY/ SW EYREFIELD/ NW MALA MALA

No encounters with the lions of this family this month.

August 2003

MLOWATHI PRIDE = 3
1 ADULT LIONESS
2 LIONESSES * 2 YEARS 4 MONTHS

Location: SE MARTHLY/ SW EYREFIELD/ NW MALA MALA

The last sighting of the Mlowathi Pride during August was towards the middle of the month. Although most encounters of the three Mlowathi Pride lionesses were towards the northwestern parts of the reserve, tracks and the seemingly secretive nature of these lions suggest that they cover a far bigger area on the Mala Mala reserve.Since the Mlowathi Pride does not appear to actually control any particular region, they often seem to move around with some stealth, probably hoping to minimise the chances of being detected by the lions controlling the territories which they wander around in.

July 2003

MLOWATHI PRIDE = 3
1 ADULT LIONESS
2 LIONESSES * 2 YEARS 3 MONTHS

Location: SW EYREFIELD

The three lionesses of the Mlowathi Pride were seen only once and this towards the very beginning of the July-report-period. But, given the known mobility of this trio and their apparent passion for secretive behaviour, they were almost certainly present on Mala Mala far more frequently than this single sighting suggests.

These lions seem not to have a territory and at this stage probably do not want to involve themselves with other lions, male or female. This would of course cause them to be secretive and move great distances in short periods, just to stay out of harms way. One wanders just what will happen, however, when one or more of them comes into season and a male lion is sought out.

June 2003

MLOWATHI PRIDE = 3
1 ADULT LIONESS
2 LIONESSES * 2 YEARS 2 MONTHS

Location: EYREFIELD/ SW MALA MALA/ NW FLOCKFIELD

Although there were only four sightings of the Mlowathi Pride this month, they indicated two things; firstly that the three lionesses are in fine condition and evidently getting good food and, secondly, that they are wandering much further around the reserve than has so far been documented. On one occasion, when they were found close to the confluence of the Matshapiri and Sand Rivers, tracks indicated that they had actually walked to the area from eastern Flockfield after killing a kudu.

Earlier in the month they were found east of the upper reaches of the Matshapiri River, territory considered perhaps belonging more to the Clarendon Pride than any other family of lions.

The Mlowathi Pride is still generally considered a nomadic family of lions, working for food within an area, avoiding the more resident lion families and dominant males and trying not to advertise their presence through roaring or scent-marking.

May 2003

MLOWATHI PRIDE = 3
1 ADULT LIONESS
2 LIONESSES * 2 YEARS 1 MONTH

Location: SW EYREFIELD/ CENTRAL & NW MALA MALA

Although there were only three sightings of the Mlowathi Pride this month, footprints suggested that they were around more often than this and wandered far and wide over the northern and even some central areas of the reserve. The relative absence of the Styx Pride from these areas has almost certainly allowed these three lions this sort of access.

Towards the beginning of the May report-period, the three lionesses of the Mlowathi Pride decided to have a bit of sport with the large herd of buffaloes along the middle reaches of the Matshapiri River. It was all high-spirited fun in many ways since the lions did not have a hope of catching one of the large bovids. But the practice would have been good for the young females which seem to be catching on very quickly as to what is required to survive.

The last sighting of the Mlowathi Pride was towards the end of the May report-period; they were lying in what is usually a prey-rich open area to the east of the Main Camp and spent the day having animals walk around them. It must have been quite frustrating for the young lionesses as they watched these happenings but, being so in the open with no cover to sneak up on creatures, all they could really do was watch. A rhino bull and a lone buffalo bull were amongst the passers-by and, judging by the way in which the young lions stared at them, they were simply itching to give chase. Just before dusk, a female leopard nearly walked into them, but bolted before they could chase after her. After dark the trio headed out of the area; as plentiful as the impalas and kudus were around them, it would have made no sense in trying to go after these already very alert animals.

The lions were seen stalking and chasing some impala later on that evening, but failed to catch one.

April 2003

MLOWATHI PRIDE = 3
1 ADULT LIONESS
2 LIONESSES * 2 YEARS

Location: SW EYREFIELD/ CENTRAL & NW MALA MALA

The adult lioness and two younger lionesses which have been seen on Mala Mala over the last half-year or so, mostly towards the northwest of the reserve, will now be known as the Mlowathi Pride. The Mlowathi River is fairly central within the area they roam on Mala Mala.

The history of these lions can only be guessed at. The adult lioness, which has a noticeable 'butterfly-wing' shaped nick out of her right ear, was first encountered towards the end of October 2002 and was at the time accompanied by three youngsters, two males and a female, all judged to be of the same age. The young males were seen only once or twice thereafter. All other sightings were then of the lioness and the young female, until, that is, another young lioness, of similar age to the other, joined them in late January this year. The age of the youngsters does not correspond with the last sightings of the Marthly Pride, a family of lions which used to travel much of the area currently roamed by this trio.

Areas of activity for these lions include Marthly, central & western Eyrefield and, more recently, northern Mala Mala. There lions may very well schedule their activities on Mala Mala to correspond with the absence of the Styx Pride, the family of lions which is expected to have a strong presence in much of the area where the Mlowathi Pride roams. Interestingly, however, when the Styx Pride has arrived in areas only very recently vacated by the Mlowathi Pride, they have shown no anger at any intrusion, as if they see no threat in these other lionesses using their resources. When the second young lioness made an appearance with the adult and the first one, it corresponded with the Styx Pride losing one of their similarly aged young females; speculation was that this second young female to join the other two may well have been the 'lost' Styx Pride youngster.

But, the addition of these three lionesses has been valuable and they have provided some fine viewing in the months that they have been seen.

During April there were three particularly fine days when the lions were seen to kill two impala and also interact with a couple of porcupines. With the first impala, which the three lionesses surrounded and caught, the mother let the two youngsters kill it - not so great for the poor impala, but a valuable lesson for the youngsters in the art of killing. The following night, the lions set off on the hunt once more, moving through some usually prey-rich areas. But the first animals which they encountered where a pair of porcupines and again the adult lioness seemed to welcome this as another lesson for the youngsters. She initiated an approach on the porcupines, but then drew back and let the young females take over. What followed, as the adult watched from the sidelines, was a painful lesson for the cubs. Eventually the lions left the porcupines to themselves, having extracted the last of the sharp quills, and no doubt quite aware of the capabilities of these prickly rodents. The rest of the night was then spent hunting, but apparently without catching anything and when they were located the following afternoon, the lions headed off on the hunt once more, even before the sun had set. They soon surrounded a large herd of impala and the adult lioness caught a youngster. But this time there was no sharing and it was every lion for itself, with the adult easily dominating. Such battles are part of a lion's life and it is best that the young lions learn this as quickly as possible.

Towards the end of the month, the Mlowathi Pride was seen near the middle parts of the Matshapiri River, this perhaps the furthest east they have ventured since first appearing on Mala Mala. Hopefully these lions will find a permanent place on Mala Mala amongst the dynamics of the lions already around.

MalaMala Game Reserve, PO Box 55514, Northlands, 2116, South Africa.
Telephone: + 27 11 442 2267 or 0861 SAFARI.
Facsimile: + 27 11 442 2318
e-Mail: reservations@malamala.com