November & December 2002

SELATI PRIDE = 7
5 ADULT FEMALES
2 FEMALE CUBS * 24 MONTHS

Location: SW CHARLESTON/ NW TOULON

There were no records of this family of lions this month. Ever since the Golf Course Males were replaced by the Rollercoaster Males, the status of the Selati Pride has not been known and it may very well be that they have moved permanently out of the area.

October 2002

SELATI PRIDE = 7
5 ADULT FEMALES
2 FEMALE CUBS * 23 MONTHS

Location: SW CHARLESTON/ NW TOULON

The Selati Pride, if still around, must be in disarray. The Golf Course Males have gone and their territory taken over by the Rollercoaster Males. The Rollercoaster Males were seen with two lionesses which may have been members of the Selati Pride and on this occasion stole an impala which they had killed. One of the lionesses was missing the tip of its tail. On a later occasion, this lioness was together with two others and some oldish cubs and they were being chased by male lions. No positive identification was possible, but it is highly likely that the male lions were the Rollercoaster Males.

Hopefully this period of unease will come to an end fairly shortly and the Selati Pride will settle down again after accepting the Rollercoaster Males.

September 2002

SELATI PRIDE = 7
5 ADULT FEMALES
2 FEMALE CUBS * 22 MONTHS

Location: SW CHARLESTON/ NW TOULON

The Selati Pride seem to be in a state of major flux; the Golf Course Males, fathers to their cubs, appear to have been replaced by the trio of male lions which have been 'invading' the southwestern parts of the reserve and this has of course caused a huge upheaval in the lives of the Selati Pride.

As it was, there were only four confirmed sightings of members of the Selati Pride this month and the largest was one of three lionesses and the two nearly 2-year-old youngsters. One of the lionesses is still lactating, indicating of course that she is still nursing small cubs. It is thought that one of the Golf Course Males may be the father of these cubs. If this is indeed the case and the new male lions realise this, then they will almost certainly kill these small cubs in order to mate with the lioness in as short a time as possible. But who can tell; the take-over of the area by the new males has been reasonably gradual and they have already been mating with one or two of the Selati Pride lionesses. Have they then accepted the lionesses as being 'theirs' and if so, will they then be accepting of the cubs which they may or may not have fathered? Time will tell. But the sooner they can gather the lionesses and get some order into the area, the sooner will stability arrive. Hopefully the nearly two-year-old cubs of the Selati Pride will be spared.

August 2002

SELATI PRIDE = 7
5 ADULT FEMALES
2 FEMALE CUBS * 21 MONTHS

Location: W ESTERN TOULON

There were few sightings of the Selati Pride this month and all were on the extreme southwestern parts of the reserve. This westward movement is almost certainly a consequence of three 'foreign' male lions, the trio which includes one with only one eye, moving into this area and so far successfully challenging the Golf Course Males which have, for the last nearly three years, been the males to dominate the Selati Pride. One sighting this month was of one of the Selati Pride lionesses together with the three other male lions, this perhaps a prelude to mating. Some weeks ago there was another mating event between one of the Selati Pride lionesses and these same three male lions.

However, with some of the Selati Pride lionesses still looking after cubs fathered by the apparently declining Golf Course Males, they will be reluctant to accept the new males since there is the risk of these males killing the Golf Course Males' cubs. The nearly 2-year-old cubs may be safe from this infanticide, but whatever young cubs are around will almost certainly be killed in any male-lion-takeover. At least one of the Selati Pride lionesses is lactating, her cubs having been born several months ago. These are perhaps the most vulnerable.

July 2002

SELATI PRIDE = 7

5 ADULT FEMALES
2 FEMALE CUBS * 20 MONTHS

Location: W ESTERN TOULON

Sightings of the Selati Pride were relatively few during July and it is thought that they have stayed further west in their territory. This may be for two reasons, the one being small cubs keeping at least some of the adults area-bound, the other being potential threats from the four male lions to their north and east which seem to be challenging the Golf Course Males, the 'guardians' of the Selati Pride for the last few years. There was one sighting this month of three of the four male lions of this coalition mating with a lioness thought to be from the Selati Pride. If this was indeed the case, is this perhaps some indication of the faith which the Selati Pride has in the Golf Course Males? Other than that, however, the lionesses and oldest cubs of the Selati Pride seem to be doing well and remain in good condition.

June 2002

5 ADULT FEMALES
2 FEMALE CUBS * 19 MONTHS

Location: W CHARLESTON/ W TOULON

The Selati Pride seemed to survive the month of June intact. One of the lionesses is lactating and so there are small cubs hidden somewhere, probably to the west of Mala Mala. The two one-and-a-half-year-old cubs are doing well, but will of course soon face the rather large challenge of having to learn how to hunt, to make that transition from dependence to independence. On one occasion this month, the Selati Pride (except for the lactating lioness) and the three Golf Course Males headed north and east, moving into parts of Mala Mala east of the Sand River, an area which they seldom visit. During their two-day patrol they heard a buffalo being killed in the reeds, this probably by the Eyrefield Pride, and all headed towards the sound. Unfortunately this occurred in an area where there was no access and so just what transpired will never be known. But the Selati Pride did not stay long. They were later seen heading back towards their territory with their two cubs. Indications were, however, that the Golf Course Males stayed at the scene and dominated for some time, at least until two of the West Street Males arrived 10 hours later. But being small lionesses out of their territory and with cubs to look after, the Selati Pride probably made the sensible decision to retreat.

And then, towards months end, the Selati Pride had a new threat, this from the four male lions which occupy an area of land to the north of that controlled by their protectors, the Golf Course Males. This quartet arrived with their sabres rattling, roaring and scent-marking in an area thought to be exclusive Golf Course Male territory. What was probably the Golf Course Males answering this roaring was heard further west, but there was certainly no speedy physical response to the intrusion. Does this mean that the Golf Course Males are showing weakness and, if so, will the four males move in to oust them and claim the Selati Pride?

May 2002

5 ADULT FEMALES
2 CUBS * 18 months

Location: SW TOULON

There was only one sighting of the lionesses of the Selati Pride this month and this together with the three Golf Course Males. It could well be that one or two of the lionesses have small cubs and that these, hidden somewhere secure, are keeping them rather area-bound.

April 2002

5 ADULT FEMALES
2 CUBS * 17 months

Location: W TOULON

The few encounters with the Selati Pride, two of which included all three of the Golf Course Males, were all at the beginning of this game report period. On one of these sightings they were seen killing a bushbuck. The two surviving cubs seem to be doing well.

March 2002

5 ADULT FEMALES
3 CUBS * 16 months

Location: CENTRAL-WESTERN CHARLESTON/ W TOULON

Sightings of the Selati Pride were few, two at the beginning of March when the five lionesses and two surviving cubs spent a few days to the east of the Sand River and then, the last encounter at the end of the month when this group, accompanied by the three Golf Course Males, were seen killing a baby kudu on the western bank near Kirkmans Camp. The Selati Prides' visit to the eastern bank came as something of a surprise and the lions did not stay long. But lions seem to do this from time to time - they raid areas controlled by other lions, using these resources if they can and letting those in their territory have some recovery time.

February 2002

5 ADULT FEMALES
3 CUBS * 15 months

Location: W & CENTRAL TOULON

Things have not really been good for the Selati Pride. They certainly seem to be getting enough to eat, but the survival of individual members seems to be a problem. There were practically no sightings with the Selati Pride towards the beginning of this game-report period and then, from mid-February, sightings were plentiful, but only of 5 of the 6 lionesses. Indications are that the young but very scarred lioness is simply no more. What has happened to her is not sure. And then the cubs have not had a good time either. Of the 8 cubs which existed half-a-year-ago, only two were still alive at months end, one having died during February. Indications are that the youngster which died was badly injured in some or other hunting/ feeding action, this almost certainly a completely random and unlucky happening. So what will happen now? The lionesses without cubs will surely come into season again and the Golf Course Males (all sighting of the Selati Pride this month included the 3 Golf Course Males) will no doubt respond. But the later in their reign over a pride that cubs are born, the less likely it will be that such cubs reach maturity. But chances have to be taken and if the resources allow for it, then so it will occur.

January 2002

6 ADULT FEMALES
4 CUBS * 14 months
4 CUBS * 12 months

Location: SW TOULON

Very few members of the Selati Pride were seen this month and it is not certain just how many of their cubs are still alive. The largest gathering of lionesses of the pride seen during January was four and of cubs two. At all sightings all three of the Golf Course Males were present.

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

Copyright © Rattray Reserves