MalaMala - The Wildlife

SELATI PRIDE

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December 2001

6 ADULT FEMALES
4 CUBS * 13 months
4 CUBS * 11 months

Location: SW CHARLESTON/ NW TOULON

December delivered viewing of probably a maximum of 6 cubs and 5 adults of the Selati Pride. It's not certain what has happened to the other members. The cubs also seemed to spend a fair amount of time on their own in the general environs of Kirkmans Camp, waiting for their mothers to return. During these times the Golf Course Males seemed to be present on a reasonably regular basis and no doubt proved most protective. This fragmentation of the family may only be temporary and perhaps a feature of the abundance of baby impala, a prey which requires little group skill to catch and when one is caught is enough to satisfy only one lion - other lions would have to go without. So under such circumstances lions would probably be best served if they would hunt in small groups.

November 2001

6 ADULT FEMALES
4 CUBS * 12 months
4 CUBS * 10 months

Location: SW CHARLESTON/ W TOULON

There were only two sightings of the Selati Pride during November, but all indications are that the majority of the pride is in good condition. The one encounter was of four lionesses, the three Golf Course Males and 7 of the cubs. It is not known if the 8th cub is still alive or not. At this particular sighting of these lions, they wandered north along the eastern bank of the Sand River for a large distance, an area they have not been to in many weeks. Just what inspired them to venture this way, seemingly on the spur of the moment, is not known. Other lions have certainly not been using the area and perhaps the Selati Pride detected this and decided to investigate.

October 2001

6 ADULT FEMALES
4 CUBS * 11 months
4 CUBS * 9 months

Location: W TOULON

There was only one confirmed sighting of 3 lionesses of the Selati Pride during October. Perhaps the threat of the five young males which have been seen around the central-western parts of the reserve were the cause to encourage them to move further west and out of potential harms way.

September 2001

6 ADULT FEMALES
4 CUBS * 10 months
4 CUBS * 8 months

Location: SW CHARLESTON/ W TOULON

There were practically no sightings of the Selati Pride this month. Perhaps the appearance of five young male lions in the general area caused them to react with caution and move west and away from this potential threat. Interestingly, there was one sighting of a lioness and five of the cubs moving east all the way to the Sand River on north-central Toulon, entering the area where the Charleston Pride lioness had been keeping her cubs before taking them east and away from the Selati Pride and Golf Course Males.

August 2001

6 ADULT FEMALES
4 CUBS * 9 months
4 CUBS * 7 months

Location:SW CHARLESTON/ W TOULON

The Selati Pride had a good August and all members appear in fine condition. Towards the middle of the month they were seen making three kills on successive nights, the prey being an adult female kudu, a young impala and a young zebra respectively. At each of these occasions at least one of the Golf Course Males was present. But in some ways their social structure remains enigmatic. Seldom are all 6 lionesses present and all too often one of the cubs seems to be left out of things. The missing lioness is usually the young and badly scarred female. It is quite likely that the beating she must have received to produce such scarring has helped produce an animal with a most subservient attitude.

July 2001

SELATI PRIDE = 14
6 ADULT FEMALES
4 CUBS * 8 months
3 CUBS * 6 months

Location:W CHARLESTON/ W TOULON

The Selati Pride revealed this month that they have as many as 8 cubs, not 7 as previously thought. Also, it is not quite certain as to how many litters there are and what the ages may be. Some cubs are clearly a great deal smaller than others, but this may not only be due to their young age, but also due to restricted growth as a result of limited food, partly due to the older ones outcompeting them. Also, amongst the Selati Pride, the one lioness with a blind eye and terrible scarring from some or other horrific fight which she must have been fortunate to survive, seems more often absent than with the pride and when together, she is clearly most subservient to all others. On one occasion this month she was encountered alone and hunting buffalo, not something even the strongest and most confidant of lions should be doing. The three Golf Course Males seem very dedicated to this family and, being young, should be able to hold their own and protect the cubs from competing males for some years to come. The greatest challenge probably facing the Selati Pride is finding sufficient food. Even now with the cubs so small, a pride of this size needs a regular supply of big animals. Towards the beginning of the month they were found gnawing at the remains of an adult zebra, an animal which they must have killed only a few hours before. Not long after this, nothing remained and the lions dragged themselves to a comfortable spot and lay there for 24 hours before getting up and ambling on. Such a big meal is worth several impala and it's exactly what is needed. Then, later in the month, the lions scored a major success when they caught an adult male giraffe. The evening before this, four of the lionesses and the Golf Course Males were found hunting close to Kirkmans Camp. The males wisely let the females do all the circling, hanging back to rush in and use their brute strength to get their share of whatever was killed. When the lionesses were seen to go running in towards a herd of impala, heavy hooves and crashing bush indicated that zebra had also been in the area and this is what the lions were actually targeting. But they missed and the bewildered impala found themselves literally surrounded by lions, the lionesses which had overshot them as they chased the bigger prey, and male lions which had waited in the rear. When some of the impala broke back, it was the Golf Course Males which ran in a caught one. Needless to say, the lionesses had to make do with precious little. One of the older cubs which had tagged along was allowed to get a meaty bone, but the proverbial 'lions share' went its natural way. But later that night the lions caught the giraffe and no doubt the male lions were instrumental in bringing the large creature down. When the carcass was found the following morning, four lionesses were in attendance with the cubs, as were the three males. All were as fat as could be and much meat remained. One of the lionesses then did a most extraordinary thing; she left to go and fetch the other two lionesses which were not present, one of these being the terribly scarred one. It is most unusual for adult lions to summons other adults to a kill. They certainly fetch cubs, but not the others. Of course the two missing lionesses were overjoyed when they saw the feast which awaited them and immediately tucked in, but not without receiving ten minutes of threatening growls and posturing from one of the Golf Course Males. This went on for the entire three or four days of feasting; all had more than enough to eat, but the Golf Course Males made sure that they constantly reminded the females that they were clearly subservient to the males. The cubs of course had a great time. Prior to the kill the ribs of many of the youngsters were quite visible and it was clear that they were in great need of food; this giraffe may well have been the turning point in their lives.

June 2001

SELATI PRIDE = 13
6 ADULT FEMALES
4 CUBS * 7 months
3 CUBS * 5 months

Location: SW CHARLESTON/ W TOULON

The Selati Pride is, as suspected, larger in size than the original four lionesses which spent so long on the reserve half-a-year or so ago. Evidence suggests at least 6 adult lionesses and 7 cubs. All cubs were seen around the remains of an adult male warthog which some of the lionesses were seen killing the previous day. As could be expected with so many lionesses to care for, the Golf Course Males have been paying much attention to this family.

May 2001

4 ADULT FEMALES

3 CUBS * 4 months

Location: SW TOULON

There were no sightings of any of the cubs of the Selati Pride this month and the largest single gathering of members of this pride was one of three of the lionesses and two of the Golf Course Males. Towards the beginning of this game report period one of the lionesses was mating with one of the Golf Course Males.

April 2001

4 ADULT FEMALES

3 CUBS * 3 months

Location: SW TOULON

There were no sightings of all four of the lionesses of the Selati Pride together. Even when towards the end of the month three of them had killed an adult zebra and were later joined by the cubs and the three Golf Course Males, the fourth lioness did not appear. Perhaps she has given birth to cubs at some more distant location and this has somewhat isolated her from the rest of the Pride. Time should tell. As in the past, the Golf Course Males have been most visible around the Selati Pride lionesses; this a good sign when it comes to the protection of the cubs from marauding males which would seek to kill such youngsters. The three cubs seen so far all appear to be in fine condition.

March 2001

4 ADULT FEMALES
3 Cubs (approximately 2 months old)

Location: SW CHARLESTON/ NW TOULON

There were, relative to preceding months, few sightings of the lionesses of the Selati Pride, perhaps because they are behaving rather secretively now that they have cubs. The three small cubs seen with these lionesses during March was of course the big news concerning this pride this month. When these young cubs were seen, the three Golf Course Males were also in attendance. The long-term survival of the cubs of course depends much upon the stability of these males and their ability to keep other males away from the area. However, this is probably not a major factor - the male lions are young and and appear confidant, factors which would make other males wary about challenging them. Stability of territory for the Selati Pride also resulted from the interaction involving them, the Golf Course Males and the Charleston Pride this month. After this incident, the Charleston Pride lionesses appeared to moved north and east, away from the southwestern parts of the reserve which the Selati Pride has frequented over the last half-year at least. This 'understanding' should allow the Selati Pride to relax somewhat, knowing that it is unlikely that the Charleston Pride will try to force them out.

February 2001

4 ADULT FEMALES

Location: SW CHARLESTON/ NW TOULON

One of the few encounters with the Selati Pride was of two of them on the eastern bank of the Sand River, this, as far as is known, the first time they have crossed. At another sighting they had been joined by a young male with a distinctive scar around his neck. It is highly likely that this young male was related to the lionesses by way of a recent litter. The Golf Course Males were also seen with various gatherings of these lionesses.

January 2001

4 ADULT FEMALES

Location: SW CHARLESTON/ NW TOULON

The Selati Pride has been so named because of the Selati Railway Line (the remnants that is) which runs through the middle of the area which they have taken to occupying on SW Toulon. One of the lionesses is blind in her left eye. It is not known if there are other females which belong to this pride, time will tell. Indications are that at least one of the lionesses, is lactating, perhaps two. Whatever cubs they have may well be in any of a complex series of gullies and rocky piles within a few kilometres of Kirkmans Camp and the Msuthu River. The fathers of these cubs appear to be the three males which have been in the area for close to a year now and have been named the Golf Course Males. Lions from both of these groups are frequently seen in each other's company.

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