MalaMala - The Wildlife

EYREFIELD PRIDE = 12

1 ADULT FEMALE 14 YEARS 9 MONTHS
1 ADULT FEMALE 10 YEARS 2 MONTHS
1 ADULT FEMALE 7 YEARS 1 MONTH
4 CUBS (2 MALE 2 FEMALE) 1 YEAR 6 MONTHS
1 MALE CUB 1 YEAR 6 MONTHS
4 CUBS (1 MALE 3 FEMALE) 1 YEAR 5 MONTHS

MALA MALA, FLOCKFIELD, CHARLESTON
(10 sightings)

The Eyrefield pride had a scarce month being seen only a handful of times and all on the western parts of Mala Mala. The pride seems to finally be moving back into their territory west of us. The prides territory is split evenly between Mala Mala and our western neighbour and now that the cubs are almost full grown and the water has returned to most of the small pans the females are looking to take them around the entire territory. The most interesting development with this pride was towards the end of the report period, the pride was found near West Street Bridge after an absence of some days and following the pride was a young male lion of about three and a half years. The pride showed little aggression towards the young male and even when the rollercoaster male joined the pride he took little notice of the new male. Reports from our neighbours indicate the male was from a pride known as the Marthly pride and the pride has been taken over by a new male coalition and so the young male was pushed out. His presence with little aggression means to some degree he has been accepted by the Eyrefield pride and the rollercoaster male. Perhaps in the future the rollercoaster male might look to form a coalition with this male and dominate the Eyrefield pride for some time yet.

EYREFIELD PRIDE = 12

1 ADULT FEMALE 14 YEARS 8 MONTHS
1 ADULT FEMALE 10 YEARS 1 MONTH
1 ADULT FEMALE 7 YEARS
4 CUBS (2 MALE 2 FEMALE) 1 YEAR 6 MONTHS
1 MALE CUB 1 YEAR 5 MONTHS
4 CUBS (1 MALE 3 FEMALE) 1 YEAR 5 MONTHS

MALA MALA, FLOCKFIELD, CHARLESTON
( 17 sightings)

This report period found the Eyrefield pride haunting Eastern Flockfield and Charleston. These areas were the first to green up this summer and as a result have attracted numerous herds of grazers. In the beginning of the report period the pride went through four kudu and a zebra in ten days. Buffalo regularly came under fire from these animals and even though they were never seen to catch anything they were often found when fat from a night or two’s feasting. The nine sub adults are still the perfect picture of health and their antics when climbing trees and harassing tortoises have been providing much entertainment. The Rollercoaster male was absent from this pride for the vast majority of the report period.

EYREFIELD PRIDE = 12

1 ADULT FEMALE 14 YEARS 7 MONTHS
1 ADULT FEMALE 10 YEARS
1 ADULT FEMALE 6 YEARS 11 MONTHS
4 CUBS (2 MALE 2 FEMALE) 1 YEAR 5 MONTHS
1 MALE CUB 1 YEAR 5 MONTHS
4 CUBS (1 MALE 3 FEMALE) 1 YEAR 4 MONTHS

MALA MALA, FLOCKFIELD, CHARLESTON
(20 sightings)

The Eyrefield pride did a lot of moving this month with them being seen from the airstrip where they killed a wildebeest to the KNP boundary at the windmill to Beaumont’s hippo pools and they often moved into Dudley. The pride without the rollercoaster male killed a large male buffalo and a sub adult male during the month. They were also seen to trail the large herd of buffalo once the rollercoaster male returned and disappeared for several days around the windmill leading rangers to believe they might well have killed more buffalo. The cubs continue to grow and the four males are now three quarters the size of their mothers and one of the young males was seen to be hanging on to the muzzle of the sub adult buffalo they killed, meaning that they are now actively helping their mothers in the hunt which means that there will be exciting times ahead as all twelve lions will set out to hunt in the evenings. The only concern is that a number of the cubs, at least three of the females have got what’s known as a hygroma, essentially water on the knee it is thought to be terminal in lions. This would be sad as this pride is in desperate need of more females to bolster their numbers. Let’s hope the tide has turned for this pride and they will return to their former glory as the largest pride on Mala Mala.

EYREFIELD PRIDE = 12

1 ADULT FEMALE 14 YEARS 5 MONTHS
1 ADULT FEMALE 9 YEARS 11 MONTHS
1 ADULT FEMALE 6 YEARS 10 MONTHS
4 CUBS (3 MALE 1 FEMALE) 1 YEAR 3 MONTHS
1 MALE CUB 1 YEAR 3 MONTHS
4 CUBS (1 MALE 3 FEMALE) 1 YEAR 2 MONTHS

MALA MALA, FLOCKFIELD, CHARLESTON
(23 sightings)

The Eyrefield pride has not been as prevalent this month as previously. They are doing well and the cubs have grown into strong sub adults, learning fast and finding their way in the big wide world. They are assisting in the hunting now in a way they could not before. They are now able to lend constructive assistance to the pride in hunts and it is possible that they are able to kill on their own. The lionesses continue to dominate the Mala Mala, Flockfield area and west into Sparta. There have been no further interactions with other prides and lesser predators flee before them. They are not hunting giraffe as often as they used to, a useful reprieve for the giraffe. However with the rains still not here and the land very dry and hot, the buffalo are losing condition fast and will undoubtedly play an important role in the diet of these lions soon.

Eyrefield pride
Eyrefield Lioness - Image By Matthew Meyer

August 2008

EYREFIELD PRIDE = 12

3 ADULT FEMALE (between 6 and 14 years old)
9 CUBS (just over 1 YEAR old)

MALA MALA, FLOCKFIELD, CHARLESTON - (22 sightings)
This pride continues to do well and all look in good health. The cubs are all still growing extremely fast and it has been noted on a number of occasions how aggressively the male cubs compete with the adult females for food. The pride continues to show a preference for the river and on most occasions they are found either with the riverbed, or in close proximity. This is no doubt a direct correlation of the large concentration of game found along the water source. Once again they managed to kill another Giraffe in this report period. The pride also managed to steal a freshly killed impala from the Ngoboswan female leopard it is expected that the Styx Pride will most likely move slightly southwards along the Sand River, and it can be expected that there will be some territory disputes, should this happen. During the report period there was one recorded interaction between the Eyrefield Pride and the Styx Pride, when the Eyrefield Pride tried, in vain, from stealing the a kudu carcass from the Old single Styx Lioness in the Matshapiri River System. The Eyrefield Pride was obviously slightly nervous being on the outside of their territory and the confidence of the single Styx Lioness was enough to scare them off. With the cubs developing fast, rangers are eagerly awaiting the opportunity to see the pride catch a prey species and give it to the cubs to kill in an attempt to teach them the skills they need. Perhaps in the period to come.

July 2008

EYREFIELD PRIDE = 12

3 ADULT FEMALE (Between 6 and 14 YEARS)
9 CUBS - JUST OLDER THAN 1 YEAR

MALA MALA, FLOCKFIELD, CHARLESTON - (21 sightings)

These lions still continue to offer great quality game viewing across the board. They started the month with a bang by bringing down a full grown male giraffe on the eastern bank of the sand river south of West Street. This brings their tally to 2 in 2 months which is a phenomenal effort for only 3 lionesses. This allowed the cubs to have a constant supply of food for over a week which at this stage of development is vital. The young males of the 9 cubs are really starting to show exactly how big and what kind of lions they are going to be. They are almost the size of the lionesses and have started helping with some of the hunts, however to no avail they are still maturing at a rapid rate. This was obvious when the pride was seen to stalk a herd of nyala around the buffalo pans area and it was one of the male cubs which made first contact but was not able to hold on before the adults could get there thus allowing the animal to escape. This kind of behaviour is not very common in such young lions and is an indication of good parenting which has allowed them to survive to this age and hope to for the next few months past the critical age.

Eyrefield Cubs - Image By Matthew Meyer

MAY 2008

EYREFIELD PRIDE = 12

1 ADULT FEMALE 14 YEARS 3 MONTH
1 ADULT FEMALE 9 YEARS 8 MONTHS
1 ADULT FEMALE 6 YEARS 7 MONTHS
4 CUBS (3 MALE 1 FEMALE) 1 YEAR
1 MALE CUB 1 YEAR
4 CUBS (1 MALE 3 FEMALE) 11 MONTHS
ARES SIGHTED : MALA MALA, FLOCKFIELD, CHARLESTON (14 sightings)

The Eyrefield pride started the report period well with the three lionesses making two kills and stealing an impala kill from the Manyelethi male leopard. The pride spent a number of day around the west street area and where found a number of times with fresh blood on there face indicating the lions are making small kills. The pride spent most of the time around the banks of the Sand river south of the West street bridge and roared a number of times responding to calls made by the Styx pride to there north. The pride is doing well with keeping all nine cubs alive and in very good condition, as the cubs get older the three lionesses are going to have to make bigger kills to feed all the hungry mouths and hopefully avoid any contact with any male lions if the cubs are going to survive.

April 2008

EYREFIELD PRIDE = 12

1 ADULT FEMALE 14 YEARS 1 MONTH
1 ADULT FEMALE 9 YEARS 6 MONTHS
1 ADULT FEMALE 6 YEARS 5 MONTHS
4 CUBS (3 MALE 1 FEMALE) 10 MONTHS
1 MALE CUB 11 MONTHS
4 CUBS (1 MALE 3 FEMALE) 9 MONTHS
MALA MALA, FLOCKFIELD, CHARLESTON
(10 sightings)

The Eyrefield pride, once the strongest pride on Mala Mala, has been shifted south and west by the stronger Styx pride. Sightings of this pride are lower than in March (16 sightings) however there is as always a silver lining. All nine cubs of the Eyrefield pride are alive and doing very well. They are now almost a year old and making good headway towards being safe from a possible territorial takeover when the old Rollercoaster male gets ousted. They no longer associate with the old male except occasionally on kills where his presence is tolerated.

Eyrefield cubs - Photograph by ranger Dean Wraith

They have been seen on a number of occasions to be teaching the cubs to hunt a lot more frequently. This is resulting in lower hunting success rates, but the cubs are learning fast and should be able to participate in full hunts in a few months time. They have not been seen to kill very much on Mala Mala but are in good condition and are found fat and content in the mornings.

Eyrefield males:
The Eyrefield males were seen only once this report period. They were close to Mlowathi dam and moved north again into Gowrie.

January 2008

EYREFIELD PRIDE = 12

1 ADULT FEMALE                         * 13 YEARS 10 MONTHS
1 ADULT FEMALE                         * 9 YEARS 3 MONTHS
1 ADULT FEMALE                       * 6 YEARS 2 MONTHS
4 CUBS (3 MALE, 1 FEMALE)      * 8 MONTHS 2 WEEKS
1 MALE CUB                                   * 8 MONTHS
4 CUBS (1 MALE, 3 FEMALE)      * 6 MONTHS

Location: MALA MALA, FLOCKFIELD, CHARLSETON
(12 sightings)

The Eyrefield pride had a much slower month in January than they did in December 2007. They were only seen 12 times this report period compared to 28 in the last. However, even though they were seen less they continued to give excellent sightings.

They were found having killed yet another giraffe, a juvenile this time. On another occasion they were seen to hunt and kill an adult male impala in the open area, close to the parking bay of the airstrip. It appears the females are beginning the training of the cubs in the skills of hunting as they were seen to release the impala for the cubs to catch. The little ones were not yet up to the task and the females dispatched the impala.

The Eyrefield pride has not strayed much further east than the Sand River. Most of the sightings have been around the airstrip and the river. There was one occasion where the lionesses came across the females of the Styx pride. There was a brief but aggressive interaction that ended in the Styx pride having the upper hand. The Rollercoaster male was not present at this interaction and one can only wonder at whose side he would have chosen.

Eyrefield cub - Photograph by ranger Keenan Stears

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