EYREFIELD PRIDE

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December 2004

EYREFIELD PRIDE = 16
5 ADULT FEMALES (mostly between 10 years & 7 months and 11 years & 1 month)
1 ADULT FEMALE * 6 YEARS 2 MONTHS
1 SUB ADULT MALE * 45 MONTHS
1 ADULT FEMALE * 45 MONTHS
4 SUB ADULTS (two males, two females) * 37 MONTHS
1 SUB-ADULT FEMALE * 22 MONTHS

Location: WESTERN MALA MALA, WESTERN FLOCKFIELD, WESTERN CHARLESTON, NORTH-WESTERN TOULON

Sightings of the Eyrefield Pride during this period were again of fragmented groups of lions, the largest number seen together being nine, on a couple of occasions. Three of the male lions of the pride, namely the adult male and two of the nearly 4-year old sub-adults, have not been seen with other pride members for many weeks now, yet they have often been seen together. This suggests very strongly that they have now broken away from the pride, and are looking to establish themselves as a territorial coalition. Most of the sightings of these males were recorded in the south of the reserve, on both Charleston and Toulon. As there were no females with them on any occasions, the sightings of these males were not plotted on the map as part of the Eyrefield Pride.

Lionesses of the Eyrefield Pride were seen to make a couple of small kills during December, one of them being a warthog piglet, the other an impala lamb. Obviously, neither of these kills would have gone very far towards satisfying a hungry pride.

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November 2004

EYREFIELD PRIDE = 16
5 ADULT FEMALES             (mostly between 10 years & 6 months and 11 years & 0 months)
1 ADULT FEMALE               * 6 YEARS 1 MONTH
1 ADULT MALE                    * 6 YEARS 1 MONTH
2 SUB ADULT MALES         * 46-and-a-half MONTHS
1 SUB ADULT MALE           * 44 MONTHS
1 SUB ADULT FEMALE       * 44 MONTHS
4 SUB ADULTS                       (two males, two females) * 36 MONTHS
1 SUB-ADULT FEMALE       * 21 MONTHS

Location: FLOCKFIELD, CHARLESTON, TOULON

As has been expected for some time now, the Eyrefield Pride seems to be in the process of a split, as some of the young males approach the age of being mature enough to challenge for a territory. The 6 year old male and two of the nearly 4-year old males are spending more and more time away from other pride members, and have been seen way down in the south of the reserve. The other three sub-adult males are still moving with 6 females of the pride, including 3 adults (one of them the 6-year old) and three sub-adults. Two of the older adult females have been seen with no other pride members accompanying them, but it appears that these two are a part of the group of nine seen quite frequently.

Unaccounted for during this month are two of the adult lionesses and the 21-month old sub-adult female. It is thought that at least one of these adult lionesses has young cubs, as she was seen to be lactating a couple of months ago. Whether or not the 21-month old female is still alive remains to be seen. When last seen, she was in perfect health, and was in the company of pride members that did not include her mother. It is quite possible that she is spending most of her time with the lactating lioness and one other lioness, the latter which might also be lactating.

It will probably be some time before the pattern of stability associated with being under the control of a coalition of male lions, again envelopes the Eyrefield Pride. Will all the lionesses of the pride fall under the control of one coalition of males, or will two or more male coalitions each gain control of a part of this pride? If the latter ends up being the case, then the Eyrefield Pride could well split permanently into two sub-units.

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October 2004

EYREFIELD PRIDE = 16
5 ADULT FEMALES                                  (mostly between 10 years & 11 months and 10 years & 5 months)
1 ADULT FEMALE                                        * 6 YEARS
1 ADULT MALE                                             * 6 YEARS
2 SUB ADULT MALES                                  * 45-and-a-half MONTHS
1 SUB ADULT MALE                                    * 43 MONTHS
1 SUB ADULT FEMALE                               * 43 MONTHS
4 SUB ADULTS (two males, two females)  * 35 MONTHS
1 FEMALE CUB                                              * 20 MONTHS

Location: WESTERN MALA MALA, FLOCKFIELD, WESTERN CHARLESTON

As has been their tendency for many years now, the Eyrefield Pride continues to operate mainly in fragmented sub-groups, the composition of which is fairly stable, but there is occasional exchange between these sub-groups.

One group, comprising the youngest adult lioness (6-year old), two sub-adult females and two sub-adult males, roamed far and wide.   The 20-month old daughter of the 6-year old lioness has not been seen for some time now, and one wonders whether she has met an untimely end.   The adult male of the pride was, on occasion, seen on his own, but he did also accompany some of the sub-adult males and lionesses.   Fairly soon, we could see some of these males looking to establish themselves as a territorial coalition.

One morning, when ten members of the pride were found together, having recently finished off an impala kill, they spotted vultures descending a great distance away.   Never missing a chance for a free meal, the lions carefully watched the vultures, and headed in that direction.   They were rewarded with the carcass of a kudu bull, already partly eaten.   The lions wasted no time in devouring what was left of that carcass.   Still hungry, they hunted again that evening, covering a considerable amount of ground.   By the next morning, they had killed a two-year old giraffe, and eaten the bulk of the meat.   Two other lionesses of the pride joined them, making a total of 12 feeding on this carcass.   Seven hyenas lurked around the area, but did not approach too close.

Another interesting sighting involving the Eyrefield Pride scavenging took place a few days earlier, when they discovered the carcass of an adult male waterbuck.   It is not known what killed the waterbuck, but a male leopard had been feeding on this carcass for the previous 24 hours or so.   This carcass was located in the Sand River bed, a kilometre or so upstream of the confluence of the Manyeleti and the Sand.   When most of the waterbuck had been eaten, one of the lionesses, lying a hundred or so metres east of the rest of the pride, began to roar.   The adult male of the Eyrefield Pride immediately ran to her position, possibly thinking the roaring came from a different and hostile lion.   When he realised it was her, he simply stood over her for a few minutes.

The time is surely approaching when the lionesses of the Eyrefield Pride will be looking to raise more youngsters.   One can expect this to take place as soon as suitable replacements for the West Street Males take over the pride.   There have already been some clashes between the Split Rock Males and the various males of the Eyrefield Pride.   The next few months should see some interesting developments.

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September 2004

EYREFIELD PRIDE = 16
5 ADULT FEMALES                                  (mostly between 10 years & 10 months and 10 years & 4 months)
1 ADULT FEMALE                                        * 5 YEARS & 11 MONTHS
1 ADULT MALE                                             * 5 YEARS & 11 MONTHS
2 SUB ADULT MALES                                  * 44-and-a-half MONTHS
1 SUB ADULT MALE                                    * 42 MONTHS
1 SUB ADULT FEMALE                               * 42 MONTHS
4 SUB ADULTS (two males, two females)  * 34 MONTHS
1 FEMALE CUB                                              * 19 MONTHS

Location: WESTERN MALA MALA, FLOCKFIELD, CHARLESTON, TOULON

All sightings of the Eyrefield Pride during this game report period were sightings of parts of the pride, rather than the whole pride together.   The most frequently seen combinations were two different combinations of six.   The one group was made up of the two nearly 6-year old individuals (male and female), along with a sub-adult female and three sub-adult males.   The second group was made up of two adult lionesses and four sub-adults (2 male, 2 female), these sub-adults being younger than those in the other group.

The first group spent a fair amount of time towards the south of the reserve, and one night they were seen to kill an adult wildebeest on central Charleston.   These same 6 lions also provided some excitement when they hunted on a stormy, windy night, along the edges of the airstrip.   Conditions were ideal for hunting, and the lions seemed perfectly set to catch an impala from a herd which was heading straight for them.   Somehow, they failed, probably due to the bumbling presence of too many clumsy young male lions!   A group of about 7 mature buffalo bulls then caught the eyes of the lions, and they set off at pace after these heavy bovids, which were walking briskly south into a stiff breeze.   The lions and buffaloes made contact, but the lions appeared to make little impact this time, and bounced off an indignant buffalo bull.

The second group provided some good viewing in the day time, often hunting baboons without success.   Although they were not seen to catch any baboons, the entertainment value was very good!   These lions did, however, manage to kill an adult buffalo bull, an event which was not witnessed, but which took place on the western bank of the Sand River, not far south of the camp.   There was a third sub-adult male present in this group, indicating that some mixing had taken place.   What was significant was the fact that the two Split Rock Males discovered this kill, and they dominated the feeding.   They gave the young males of the Eyrefield Pride quite a hard time, leaving one of them with a few minor surface injuries.   Indeed, the young males of the Eyrefield Pride left the area, but the females that were present, remained in the area, lying a little way off the Split Rock Males.   With the West Street Males now gone, the Eyrefield Pride lionesses and sub-adults might well find themselves being taken over by a coalition of males such as the Split Rock Males.   Some interesting months lie ahead.   One thing for certain is that the Eyrefield Pride will face some disruptions and changes, before the take-over ultimately brings stability back to the pride.   Now could well be the time that the young males of this pride, together with the adult male, look to go further afield. 

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August 2004

EYREFIELD PRIDE = 16
5 ADULT FEMALES                                      (mostly between 10 years & 9 months and 10 years & 3 months)
1 ADULT FEMALE                                       * 5 YEARS & 10 MONTHS
1 ADULT MALE                                            * 5 YEARS & 10 MONTHS
2 SUB ADULT MALES                                 * 43-and-a-half MONTHS
1 SUB ADULT MALE                                   * 41 MONTHS
1 SUB ADULT FEMALE                              * 41 MONTHS
4 SUB ADULTS (two males, two females) * 33 MONTHS
1 FEMALE CUB                                             * 18 MONTHS

Location: WESTERN MALA MALA, FLOCKFIELD, CHARLESTON, TOULON

The Eyrefield Pride members were not all seen together this month, and the majority of the sightings were of six of these lions (an adult female, sub-adult female, adult male and three sub-adult males), with one of the West Street Males in tow.   Closer to the beginning of the game report period, both West Street Males were seen with Eyrefield Pride members in the south of the reserve, there sometimes being as many as 13 lions together.   For several days these lions hunted, mainly on the western bank on southern Charleston and northern Toulon, and it was only a matter of time before these forays into foreign territory drew the indignant attention of the Rollercoaster Males.   Some dramatic interactions were witnessed, and it seems that the Rollercoaster Males were successful in driving the confident, cocky young Eyrefield Pride males north, and in giving at least one of the West Street Males (the one with the torn nose) a mauling that left nasty holes in his head.

The six most frequently seen members of the Eyrefield Pride in August killed at least two adult male buffaloes, which provided stable viewing of lions for a few days.

With the demise of the West Street Males, it is going to be very interesting to see whether the adult male of the Eyrefield Pride and the sub-adult males of the pride are going to form a powerful coalition.   They are certainly big enough and strong enough, and they have inherited the genes of a most successful coalition of males.   Will they maintain control of the Eyrefield Pride, or will they become nomadic for a while, before taking control of a territory further afield, which will enable them to mate with unrelated lionesses?   Time will tell!

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July 2004

EYREFIELD PRIDE = 16
5 ADULT FEMALES                                  (mostly between 10 years & 8 months and 10 years & 2 months)
1 ADULT FEMALE                                       * 5 YEARS & 9 MONTHS
1 ADULT MALE                                            * 5 YEARS & 9 MONTHS
2 SUB ADULT MALES                                 * 42-and-a-half MONTHS
1 SUB ADULT MALE                                   * 40 MONTHS
1 SUB ADULT FEMALE                               * 40 MONTHS
4 SUB ADULTS (two males, two females)     * 32 MONTHS
1 FEMALE CUB                                             * 17 MONTHS

Location: WESTERN MALA MALA, FLOCKFIELD

The Eyrefield Pride provided good viewing again in July, many of the sightings being on the western bank of the Sand River .As has been the case for the last few years, the pride was often fragmented.It makes sense for a large pride to split into smaller groups, particularly if they are hunting mainly fairly small or medium-sized prey animals.

On occasions the pride members were accompanied by one or both of the West Street Males.One of the lionesses of the pride is lactating and must have young cubs somewhere, but they have not yet been seen.   She has been seen on a number of occasions on or near the Mala Mala airstrip, and has usually moved west from there.   We know that the Eyrefield Pride have, in the past, sometimes used dense bush and dongas both to the west and to the north-east of the airstrip, as "den" areas for some of their cubs.One wonders which male lion is the father of the new cubs.It could well be the adult male of the Eyrefield Pride.The most dramatic sighting of the Eyrefield Pride certainly was one involving a part of the large herd of buffalo.

On the morning of 17 July, 6 members of the Eyrefield Pride, including two females, three sub-adult males and the adult male, were found lying down in the middle of Matshapiri Open Area.   In the afternoon, a few hundred members of the large herd of buffalo appeared in the area, and the lions immediately began to show an interest.   For a good long while, the lions merely watched the buffaloes, and as the buffaloes approached them, a stand-off situation developed.   Two of the three-year old male lions, however, became bold (impatient?) and started to approach the buffalo herd with purpose.   Spurred on by this initiative, the other lions also began to advance on the buffaloes, and soon encircled them.   Being surrounded by lions now, the buffaloes panicked and stampeded.    It was quite a spectacle, with buffaloes thundering through the open area.   Quick to take advantage of the chaos, the adult male lion managed to rush in and grab a buffalo calf, and one of the lionesses came to his assistance.   Between the two of them, they pulled the calf quickly to the ground.   An adult female buffalo (mother of the calf) saw what had happened, and charged straight for the lions, hoping to drive them off her baby.   This ploy failed, however, and very soon she found herself also being jumped upon by lions.   One of the sub-adult male lions managed to get a muzzle grip on the buffalo cow.   Not only would this close off her airways, it would also silence her.   Unfortunately for the lions, the young male lion lost his grip on the muzzle of the buffalo, and the cow immediately let out a bellow of distress.   The effect of this distress call was instant and dramatic.   The rest of the buffalo herd responded immediately, coming running in to assist the fallen cow and her calf.   The buffaloes succeeded in chasing the lions off both mother and calf, which were soon back on their feet.   Many large buffalo bulls bore down menacingly on the lions, and chased them up onto a large termite mound, where they sought refuge.   The lions were given a good lesson by the buffaloes, and were probably fortunate to emerge unscathed, with only their pride and reputation a little dented!   The buffaloes moved quickly away from the area, and the injured female and calf (which had lost its tail to the lions) were seen to still be doing reasonably well a few days later.

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June 2004

Members of the Eyrefield Pride seen during June 2004

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May 2004

EYREFIELD PRIDE = 16
5 ADULT FEMALES                                  (mostly between 10 years & 6 months and 10 years)
1 ADULT FEMALE                                        * 5 YEARS & 7 MONTHS
1 ADULT MALE                                             * 5 YEARS & 7 MONTHS
2 SUB ADULT MALES                                 * 40-and-a-half MONTHS
1 SUB ADULT MALE                                    * 38 MONTHS
1 SUB ADULT FEMALE                               * 38 MONTHS
4 SUB ADULTS (two males, two females) * 30 MONTHS
1 FEMALE CUB                                             * 15 MONTHS

Location: WESTERN MALA MALA

There were no sightings of all members of the Eyrefield Pride together this month and they continued to function in separate groups of varying composition. For some time towards the middle of the month, the four two-and-a-half-year-olds stayed with their two mothers as well as the five-and-a-half-year-old lioness and her cub, almost certainly because they wanted to avoid the rest of the pride with the older sub adults and their greater competitive powers. One of the lionesses of the pride appears to be lactating, this having been seen last month already and the three-year-old lioness as well as one other adult seem to be accompanying her as she moves between hunting and caring for the babies, which, evidence suggests, may be hidden somewhere in the region of the Mala Mala Airstrip.  The lionesses of the Eyrefield Pride have in the past used donga systems on either side of this strip as refuge places for their cubs.

The young males of the Eyrefield Pride also appear to be getting somewhat more adventurous, particularly the older ones.  One of these was seen, together with one of the old West Street Males and the five-and-a-half-year-old male of the pride, feeding from the carcass of an adult male waterbuck which they'd stolen from the Windmill Pride, this deep inside Windmill Pride territory.

Towards months end, all five young males were seen together, accompanying the two West Street Males, the five-and-a-half-year-old male and three lionesses.  As the young males start staying together more and more, perhaps they'll slowly wean themselves of their dependence on the rest of the pride and move off to start that stage of sub-adulthood, when they become nomadic, learn the secrets of survival, develop socially and physically, to eventually reach full maturity when they dominate an area of their own.  This phase must surely start in the not too distant future, but, one wonders, will all five leave together or will the two younger ones leave separately from the three older ones.

And the West Street Males continue to stay on, perhaps kept in power to some degree thanks to the presence of the young males of the pride, particularly the five-and-a-half-year-old which surely must be the most dominant member of the group.  Will this young male remain as the male-in-charge or will he accompany the five young males when they must leave? Time will tell, but certainly for the Eyrefield Pride, the big changes which have been looming on the horizon for some time now are drawing ever closer.

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April 2004

EYREFIELD PRIDE = 16
5 ADULT FEMALES                                   (mostly between 10 years & 5 months and 9 years & 11 months)
1 ADULT FEMALE                                        * 5 YEARS & 6 MONTHS
1 ADULT MALE                                             * 5 YEARS & 6 MONTHS
2 SUB ADULT MALES                                 * 39-and-a-half MONTHS
1 SUB ADULT MALE                                   * 37 MONTHS
1 SUB ADULT FEMALE                               * 37 MONTHS
4 SUB ADULTS (two males, two females) * 29 MONTHS
1 FEMALE CUB                                             * 14 MONTHS

Location: WESTERN MALA MALA

Although relatively little was seen of the Eyrefield Pride this month, they still provided some entertaining moments.

Sightings generally suggested that the pride is still functioning in sub-groups, these comprising the two lionesses with their four two-and-a-half-year-olds and then the other members of the family in another group, this second section also sometimes splitting up from time to time.  The youngest adult lioness and her just-over-one-year-old cub seem to favour staying with the group of six, perhaps finding the competition amongst these members more manageable.

Perhaps the finest day of viewing involving these lions also saw all 18 or them, this including the two West Street Males, come together on the Mala Mala Airstrip.  This was the first gathering of all pride members witnessed in many weeks.  Initially the lions were found in three groups, one of two lionesses near to the camp and another of eight lions, this group comprising two lionesses, one of the West Street Males, the young adult male and all four three-and-a-half-year-olds.  The third group was also one of the eight lions - the second West Street Male and the mostly younger members of the family.  The latter group was on the airstrip and the other eight a kilometre to their north, fat as anything having just eaten a kudu the night before. The two lionesses found away from the others had probably been with the ones which had just eaten the kudu, but when found were moving away from them.  One of them appeared to be lactating.  The eight on the airstrip seemed set on either heading off to join the kudu-eaters or set on heading to find some shade for the day, when they happened to almost accidentally ambush a large male warthog.  As could be expected, a real feeding frenzy ensued, with the old West Street Male trying to dominate and the 14-month-old cub doing her best to stand up to him.  The second West Street Male, at the time with the kudu-eaters a kilometre away, heard the fighting and came running in to see what he could steal.  But by the time he arrived, things were over and the lions had separated and were eating the scraps. That night, the various groups came together so that all 18 were more or less together on the airstrip.

A few days later, when some of them, including the two West Street Males, were still in the general area of the airstrip, it seemed that they'd killed an adult Wildebeest, but had then been chased from the kill by the two Split Rock Males.  Thereafter there weren't any sightings of these lions for nearly two weeks.

Goodness knows just when the Split Rock Males will finally move in and completely take over.  At the moment their intrusions seem limited to the northern parts of the Eyrefield Pride and West Street Males' range.  With this now limited push into West Street Male turf (and by implication Eyrefield Pride domain too), the West Street Males, caretakers of the Eyrefield Pride, remain officially in charge.

Also, with no male-lion-take-over looming, the young males of the Eyrefield Pride don't have any added incentive to set out on their own.  But there are definitely big changes on the nearby horizon for these lions.  The young males must leave soon and the West Street Males, although still alive, have hardly any teeth left and are looking more skeletal by the day; they just simply have to give in one of these days.  And then the pride needs to respond.  If they do have young cubs hidden somewhere, what will happen to these?  Will the five-and-a-half-year-old male take over and allow the cubs to live, or will he go and the cubs be killed by whatever coalition becomes the new masters?  And will the six lionesses, with the three sub adults, join forces again, or is there a more permanent separation on the cards?

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March 2004

EYREFIELD PRIDE = 16
5 ADULT FEMALES                                  (mostly between 10 years & 4 months and 9 years & 10 months)
1 ADULT FEMALE                                        * 5 YEARS & 5 MONTHS
1 ADULT MALE                                             * 5 YEARS & 5 MONTHS
2 SUB ADULT MALES                                  * 38-and-a-half MONTHS
1 SUB ADULT MALE                                    * 36 MONTHS
1 SUB ADULT FEMALE                               * 36 MONTHS
4 SUB ADULTS (two males, two females)   * 28 MONTHS
1 FEMALE CUB                                              * 13 MONTHS

Location: SW MALA MALA/ WESTERN FLOCKFIELD/ NW CHARLESTON

There were relatively few sightings of the Eyrefield Pride this month and indications are that, relative to previous months, they were spending, more time in the southwestern parts of their territory.  Would this be, one wonders, due to pressure from the Split Rock Males, busy muscling their way in from the north, or is this due to a better food supply in this area?

The old West Street Males, which have dominated the Eyrefield Pride for so many years, spent much of the month (perhaps all of the month) with the lionesses and youngsters of this family, no doubt as an only way of ensuring a good supply of food.  Also, with a host of sub adult young males around them (their sons) maybe the old West Street Males get some sort of protection; maybe the two Split Rock Males, hoping to replace them, will feel slightly intimidated by such a collection of male lions, even though they might be still sub adult and not even close to being socially mature.

There were no sightings of all members of the Eyrefield Pride together, but the largest gathering was of all except for two of the lionesses. On one occasion, at least fourteen of the lions, including the West Street Males and the young adult male of the family, attacked the large herd of buffaloes and harassed them for at least 24 hours, chasing them for several kilometres before finally giving up when the buffaloes turned to face them.

On another occasion, half-a-dozen lions, including the two West Street Males and the young cub, were involved in killing an adult male impala near the Mala Mala Airstrip.  As they were scrapping over the kill, many other members of the Eyrefield Pride arrived, mostly young males.  These must have been lurking nearby and, hearing the kill, invited themselves.  The ensuing fight was quite something and the old West Street Males suddenly found themselves on the receiving end of the power of their sons.  No longer are the young males of the Eyrefield Pride completely subservient to the other members of the family; their strength has suddenly increased as they've matured and they represent quite a force to be reckoned with. But this increasing dominance of the young males of the pride cannot be appreciated by the lionesses which must find themselves fighting harder and harder for their food.  One wonders just when they'll finally move off, leaving the lionesses behind them.

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February 2004