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Rollercoaster Male Lion - Photograph by ranger Bruce Archibald

January 2010

• Rollercoaster male (+/- 13 ½ years): (5 sightings)

Another legend passes at Mala Mala. The Rollercoaster male was euthanased on the first of January. He was in poor condition and the autopsy conducted by the Kruger vet confirmed this. He had mange all along his shoulders and back he had recently been in a lion fight and had fresh wounds along his flanks and rear end. And his adrenal gland had started turning his body muscle into energy just to keep him alive.

The story of the Rollercoaster males goes a long way back, in fact almost 10 years.

There were originally 5 males in the coalition; they come from the western sector of the Sabi Sands and set up territory along western Toulon, around the Rollercoaster road. The five brothers took over the Selati pride first but soon one of the males died. The four brothers then tried to move in on the Eyrefield pride and were seen mating with some the lionesses back in 2001 but the west street males just had enough in them to hold off the challenge. Then in a short space of time two more males in the coalition died and there were only two left. The males raised a successful litter with the Selati pride, this litter is from where the two golf course males originate. They then successfully took over the Eyrefield pride and started their journey northwards. The two brothers imposed themselves on the Eyrefield pride and when they got rid of the split rock male they made a play for the Styx pride. The Styx pride was accepting of the new males and all looked good for the two Rollercoaster males, until tragedy struck. One of the males found a dead elephant in the sand river in 2007 and while feeding on it he was attacked and killed by a crocodile, and then there was one. The last male finished off the take over of the Styx pride while still maintaining dominance of the Eyrefield pride. The Eyrefield pride produced cubs in 2006 but they were killed, then in 2007 they produced 10 cubs with the Rollercoaster male 7 of which are still alive. The Styx pride produced cubs in 2007 but they to were killed, but then more cubs were born early 2008, and the Rollercoaster male had his hands full dominating both prides. Around mid 2008 the Mlowathi males started showing interest in the Styx pride, and this was the beginning of the end for the last Rollercoaster male. He got chased away from the Styx pride but to this date some of his cubs still survive. He then stayed permanently with the Eyrefield pride until late 2009 when the Mlowathi males found him again. This time there was nowhere to hide and he became nomadic until his death on the first of the month.

A legend of his time he will be remembered for many years to come and his genes will flow strongly through the lion prides of Mala Mala for many more years after that. R.I.P.

Rollercoaster Male Lion - Photograph by a MalaMala ranger.