SELATI PRIDE
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December 2007 SELATI PRIDE = 13 2 ADULT FEMALES * 7 YEARS 6 MONTHS TOULON, CHARLESTON The Selati Pride had a slow month in December the only big news is that the three five year old males are now looking to take over their own pride, interesting to see what happens in terms on the implications with regards to genetics and if they will be able to hold the pride together. The genes should not be a problem as this is the first generation of inbreeding and it usually doesn’t affect the cubs. More interesting to watch will be the pressure they receive from older more dominant males and whether they can keep control of the pride. The pride itself was restricted to western Toulon this month and spent as much time in MalaMala as they did in the Kruger National Park. November 2007 SELATI PRIDE = 16 2 ADULT FEMALES * 7 YEARS 5 MONTHS Location: TOULON, CHARLESTON The Selati pride started the month off very strongly, and continued in this fashion right through the report period. On the very first day of the report period, the section of the pride with the three adult females, two male cubs and two female cubs were found feeding off an adult male waterbuck on the KNP break, close to the Skukuza airport. Mating activity was recorded over three days between one of the Selati males, and a lioness of the Charleston pride. The second male of the pride was recorded to be in attendance of the mating. The pride continues to provide great lion viewing, and this was often the case when they were feeding. The pride fed off a giraffe that was reported to have died naturally, as well as off an adult male kudu at Calabash Crossing later in the report period. The scene of the kudu carcass provided much entertainment; as the lionesses had to constantly fend off wanton scavengers like hyena, as well as the Tjellahanga male, a dominant male leopard from the area. Interestingly, it appears as if the Selati pride has split, with three adult females having moved out of the pride to raise their most recent cubs, thus forming a grouping of seven. The second part of the pride consists of five females and two males, indicating that the remaining three males have moved off. This type of behaviour is expected amongst young males, as it becomes apparent as a form of wonder lust. It is obviously evident that no dominant males from the pride encouraged their departure. The split in the pride could be merely temporary, however permanent splits have been noticed in the past, especially when the pride becomes too large for the availability of food. October 2007 SELATI PRIDE = 12 2 ADULT FEMALES * 7 YEARS 4 MONTHS Location: TOULON, CHARLESTON The Selati pride had a quiet month during October, only being seen 5 times. This is unusual for this big pride which is often seen split up and spread throughout the southern parts of MalaMala and Toulon. The young males were seen mating with the females again in the first part of the report period. Only seven of the twelve lions were seen in the report period but all looked well and in control of the south.
The two young males look to have taken over the pride they grew up in and hopefully it will be only a matter of time before one of the females has cubs. The rest of the pride has not been seen for some months now and it looks like the pride has made a permanent split. Then on the second last day of the report period seven members of the Selati pride were found but these are members of the other half of the pride. Five of the seven were young cubs of less than a year old and so perhaps the split was only to have cubs and the pride might in fact join up once again. September 2007 SELATI PRIDE = 12 2 ADULT FEMALES * 7 YEARS 3 MONTHS Location: TOULON, CHARLESTON, SOUTHERN FLOCKFIELD The Selati pride had an excellent start to the report period, with the lions providing some great entertainment as they fed off the remains of an adult male buffalo carcass. The males were seen to mate with a number of lionesses on a numerous occasions during the report period. The pride continued to enjoy hunting success, something consistent from previous report periods, the most significant of the kills being that of an adult female giraffe which they took down in broad daylight. The kill attracted a lot of attention, with the lions continuously having to chase away hyenas, having to seek refuge from the attention of elephant and an entire buffalo herd, as well as share the carcass with The Rock drift male leopard (Tjololo). The pride was also seen to catch a kudu, as well as be part and parcel of an amazing interaction, whereby a kudu, initially killed by hyena, stolen by a leopard, and finally retrieved from a tree by one of the young lionesses of the pride was witnessed by guests. Interestingly, it was often observed that the pride would split up into ones and two’s, thus on numerous days, two separate sightings of the pride were recorded. The periods that the pride would be split varied, however they would always reunite. August 2007 SELATI PRIDE = 12 2 ADULT FEMALES * 7 YEARS 2 MONTHS Location: TOULON, CHARLESTON, SOUTHERN FLOCKFIELD
The Selati pride had a fairly quiet start to the report period. They were seen in 2 small groups, one comprising 2 males and a female and one comprising four females during the beginning of the month. It was not till after the middle of the month had passed that rangers found all five lionesses as well as the two males together. The group of four females was seen to kill an adult female impala at the beginning of the report period. For most of the report period they have been seen in the southwest section of the reserve around an area known as the Golf Course. On one very interesting occasion a group consisting of two Selati males and three Selati females was found on the eastern bank of the Sand River opposite the Beaumont’s camp. In accompaniment was a lioness of the Charleston pride. She was seen to flirt with the Selati males and there was also much aggression observed between the Selati lionesses and the Charleston lioness. When the Selati pride was seen again the Charleston lioness had moved on. Two of the Selati pride females were also observed to be mating with one of the Selati males close to the Charleston/Toulon boundary.
Towards the end of the report period, the pride was found on three separate kills, the first a sub adult zebra, two days later an adult female buffalo, and just two days after that, an adult male buffalo. Clearly the dry conditions are taking their toll on the prey species, with the section of the pride consisting of seven evidently taking full advantage of this. July 2007
SELATI PRIDE = 12 2 ADULT FEMALES * 7 YEARS 1 MONTHS TOULON , CHARLESTON, SOUTHERN FLOCKFIELD The Selati Pride have had a good month with the lions being seen a number of times during the report period. Early in the month two males and a female were seen a number of times around north-western Toulon. The lions had good hunting success, where they were seen to feed from an adult male kudu kill around Calabash crossing, and an adult male buffalo kill near Jock Walk. Only the two males and the female were found at first at the buffalo kill. Later five lionesses joined the three and continued to feed. The lions remained in the area of the buffalo kill for approximately three days during which time the two males were seen to mate a number of times with one of the lionesses. Several lionesses of the pride were seen together around the confluence of the Sand and the Tjellahanga Rivers late in the report period, with the single lioness, thought to be the mother of the cubs, seen in previous sightings. Towards the end of this report period the Selati Pride had been spending most of their time on the Golf Course area close to the Kingston Break. June 2007 SELATI PRIDE = 12 2 ADULT FEMALES * 7 YEARS Location: TOULON, CHARLESTON, SOUTHERN FLOCKFIELD
It has been an interesting month for the Selati Pride. They were only seen in the early parts of the game report period. The bulk of the sightings this month was of a single lactating lioness and her 2 cubs (+- 4 months old). Records show that this lioness had most likely been keeping her cubs in the sand river. She was seen on River Road around Kirkmans Camp crossing and then moved upstream from where she called her cubs to her. She was seen fairly regularly over the next few days moving constantly upstream in the Sand River to Trollops Camp. After this she and her cubs were not spotted again. The likelihood is that she moved her cubs west off of Mala Mala property. There was also a single sighting of the other part of the Selati Pride (3 females and 4 +- year old cubs). These two split sections of the pride are no longer seen to join and we can only hope that the leaner months of winter will see this pride amalgamating again into one cohesive unit that will be much better able to provide for their growing cubs.
There was a single sighting of 5 females and 2 males of the Selati Pride together feeding on a young buffalo that had presumably been killed by them. It is interesting that only 2 of the 3 males were seen at the carcass as one would assume that the 3 males would stick together as an inexperienced but tight nit young coalition. May 2007 SELATI PRIDE = 12 2 ADULT FEMALES * 6 YEARS 11 MONTHS Location: TOULON, CHARLESTON, SOUTHERN FLOCKFIELD There was only one sighting of three females from the Selati pride during the report period. The lionesses were seen in a region rangers refer to as the “golf course”. All the lionesses appeared well. Importantly the young males of the pride have not been seen for some time, and one wonders if they have in fact started their period as nomads, in search for a suitable pride and territory. Over the past few months, rangers have not seen all the lions from the pride together, and evidence suggests that they may have shifted their territory west. Reports from neighbouring reserves suggest that the pride has in fact split; this information appears to hold water. This would be unfortunate, and one hopes that with the onset of winter that the lions will return to their old territory. April 2007 SELATI PRIDE = 12 2 ADULT FEMALES *6 YEARS 10 MONTHS Location: TOULON, CHARLESTON, SOUTHERN FLOCKFIELD During this report period the members of the Selati Pride were seen only on two separate occasions. On both occasions they were found on south-western parts of Toulon. They were left walking along Skukuza road south of the Charleston Toulon boundary. Rangers followed up from their last position from the previous night and found them north of the Cattle Graves. On both occasions only four members of the pride were seen. There has still been no sign of their cubs. March 2007 SELATI PRIDE = 12 2 ADULT FEMALES * 6 YEARS 9 MONTHS Location: TOULON, CHARLESTON, SOUTHERN FLOCKFIELD Once again the Selati Pride of lions have provided some excellent viewing and are still the most frequently viewed lions in the southern parts of MalaMala. Most of the Selati Pride sightings take place on Toulon, which we believe to be their core territory on MalaMala. However the first sighting of these lions during the report period was on south eastern Charleston, which is about as far north as we have seen them move in the last few years. This sighting took place on the first day of the report, 26 th of February. Rangers found the lions on the eastern parts of the reserve a good way north of the Charleston Toulon Boundary. There were four lionesses and the three sub adult males present and they all looked well fed and healthy. That evening they were followed as they hunted back south and west towards their usual home range. On the 9 th of March Rangers found the lions early in the morning feeding on the remains of a sub adult waterbuck at the Mango Open Area. That evening the lions got active and were followed as they hunted and seen to successfully bring down a young Giraffe. Towards the end of the report period the lions were seen quite frequently around the south western parts of the reserve and always in good condition, yet no sign of the cubs that were viewed in the last month. The future looks bright for the Selati lions, yet in natures never ending “balance of imbalances “ nothing is certain. February 2007 SELATI PRIDE = 12 2 ADULT FEMALES * 6 YEARS 8 MONTH Location: TOULON, CHARLESTON, SOUTHERN FLOCKFIELD An excellent report period for the Selati Pride was had, with the pride being viewed numerous times, providing some excellent and memorable sightings. The first sighting for the report period was only on the fifth day of February, however the pride was generally seen quite consistently throughout the report period. The first sighting of the pride was reported when they were tracked and found on the eastern parts of their territory in an area known as Matambo Drive, just south of the Sand River near Rocky Crossing. The pride was seen predominantly on Toulon, with only one recorded sighting of the pride venturing into central Charleston. On all occasions, the lions were in excellent condition. The pride was often found to have recently fed. Two lionesses of the Selati pride together with four cubs were seen on four separate occasions, close to Skukuza airstrip, and in the Msuthu River close to the KNP break. The most memorable being where they fed on the remains of a wildebeest carcass. Although rangers could not approach as the lions were essentially in the KNP, rangers were able to establish that there was only about five percent of the carcass remaining. January 2007 SELATI PRIDE = 12 2 ADULT FEMALES * 6 YEARS 7 MONTH Location: TOULON, CHARLESTON, SOUTHERN FLOCKFIELD It was a slow start for this pride of lions as the first time they were seen was on the 22nd of Jan. The lions were found on the south-western parts Mala Mala. Whilst resting, a herd of zebra walked within fifteen meters of the lions, before either of them noticed each other. One of the lionesses sensed the presence of the zebra, and moved into an attack position. The situation heated up as the zebra continued toward the lions. Unfortunately one of the young males was woken by the zebra and rolled over, giving the lioness’s position away. The zebra raced away, in hot pursuit by the lioness. The lioness missed and returned to her slumbers close to the pride. As rangers and guests watched the lions got active in the late afternoon sun. They were followed as they hunted northwards. The lions made many attempts on a variety of game, but were left unsuccessful as they turned west off the reserve. All the lions were looking healthy and show good signs for the future. MalaMala
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