December 2002 There were no confirmed sightings of these male lions this month. Towards the north of Mala Mala, a single male lion was found eating a young buffalo; this may have been one of the Split Rock Males. November 2002 These three lions were seen this month near the upper reaches of the Matshapiri River, this the first confirmed sighting of them for quite some time. With the West Street Males now looking hungrily towards this area again, perhaps the Split Rock Males think it wise to make their presence felt once more. October 2002 September 2002 The Split Rock Males were not specifically seen and identified this month, but two male lions found on northern Eyrefield were probably members of this coalition.
There may have been a couple of sightings of the Split Rock Males this month, both of these to the very northeast of the reserve. On both occasions, only two adult male lions were seen. On one occasion, the lions were mating with a lioness. It is not certain whether this lioness was a member of the Clarendon Pride or was the old Emsagwen lioness. On the second occasion, the male lions were with 2 lionesses. Once again, the identity of these two lionesses was not certain. July 2002 These lions were not seen this month. It may be that lionesses from the Clarendon Pride have cubs and this has kept them and the Split Rock Males fairly area-bound. Field staff reported an incident when the Styx Pride was seen chasing a single adult male lion which may have been one of the Split Rock Males. This occurred on the northwestern parts of the reserve.
The only sighting of all three of the Split Rock Males this month occurred when they were with two of the Clarendon Pride, in the general area of the large herd of buffalo. Early in the month, a male lion, almost certainly one of the Split Rock Males, was seen sniffing around an area where the Styx Pride had just passed through and then towards the end of the month one of the younger members of this trio spent a day following behind the large herd of buffalo.
Compared with previous months' viewing,, little was seen of the Split Rock Males. Of the three sightings of members of the Clarendon Pride this month, two included at least one member of the Split Rock Males. Otherwise they seemed to spend the month doing what is expected of territorial male lions - patrolling borders and perhaps trying to catch some or other large item of prey such as a buffalo. The largest of the trio still appears to be the most dominant. April 2002
Onone occassion the Split Rock Male and the trio from
the Clarendon Pride (young male included) were on the freshly killed carcass
of an adult female buffalo, perhaps the same one which had bypassed them
with the newborn calf the previous night. A dead buffalo calf was also
in the area. As the lions were feeding, the two West Street Males emerged
and headed their way and in a matter of minutes had the lone Split Rock
Male on the run, chasing him far up the Matshapiri River before they halted
and returned to the carcass of the buffalo where the other three lions
were now feeding. Since this trio of lions seemed to show great subservience
towards the West Street Males, they were left well alone and all lions
stayed in the area for the next 24 hours until the Split Rock Male returned.
This time the West Street Males did not even try anything; they fled.
The single Split Rock Male walked towards them, stiff-legged and holding
his head high with his mane standing up. The West Street Males ran. The
next big event for some of the Clarendon Pride happened not long after
this when some of them and one of the other Split Rock Males again harassed
the buffalo, eventually that evening finding an apparently abandoned buffalo
calf. Then, a couple of weeks later, three of the lionesses and the young
male of the pride killed an old buffalo cow along the upper reaches of
the Mlowathi River, an area more Styx Prides' than theirs. The Then, towards the end of the month, the Clarendon Pride and all three of the Split Rock Males were found close to the northeastern parts of the reserve with the carcasses of three buffalo, two cows and a calf. The Split Rock Males, particularly the largest of the trio, were often with the Clarendon lionesses. It is not known whether any of the pride members are pregnant or not. March 2002
The Split Rock Males certainly concentrate upon the Clarendon Pride, particularly the larger male lion of this coalition. Whilst this bigger male is with the lionesses, the other two seem to patrol boundaries or follow buffalo. The territory which the Split Rock Males control appears to be increasing in a south-westerly direction which would take them into more regular contact with the Styx Pride, a grave threat to the young cubs of this family. But at the moment, the Clarendon Pride seems to have a hold on them and until these lionesses have cubs, it could be anticipated that the Split Rock Males may not show too great an interest in any neighbouring prides, the Styx Pride included. February 2002
January 2002 Four male lions - one estimated at 8 years of age, the other three, probably brothers, at 6 years of age: These four male lions have been establishing themselves towards the north-eastern parts of Mala Mala and are the same which ran the West Street Males out of this area a month ago. So far they seem to be consolidating themselves to some degree, either patrolling the area, following buffalo or hanging out with some of the lionesses of the area. As far as is known, they have not made contact with any members of the Styx Pride and seem to have concentrated their attentions on the old Emsagwen lioness and a family of at least five lionesses which seems to be spending more and more time in this area too. One of the lionesses of this pride has a noticeably kink in her tail. Some of these lionesses were seen mating with the two most dominant members of the '4' towards the beginning of the game-report-period. The male lions involved in the mating - the older male and one of the younger ones - appeared slightly unsure of how to go about things when they were approached by the lionesses. This was probably the cause of the some of the aggression which the lionesses then directed at them whilst mating and soliciting. The two males of the coalition which did not have any females to mate with - number 3 and 4 in the hierarchy of the male group - slept whilst all of this was going on. Towards the end of the month, three of these four male lions - one of the younger members seems to spend a fair amount of time separate from the others - became more adventurous and followed the large herd of buffalo off the north-western parts of the reserve. This position is far from where they have up to now been recorded and if they persist in entering and eventually dominating these peripheral areas, then they will surely come into contact with the Styx Pride. December 2001
November 2001 4 Male lions: It is thought that a coalition of four young male lions is making its way into the north and eastern parts of the reserve. One of them has a heavy mane. The other three, perhaps 6 years of age, are very similar in appearance and are probably brothers; they have less well developed manes. The larger male appears to be the most dominant of the four. All lions were seen together only once this month when they were together with what may have been the Emsagwen lioness. Such lions are at a stage when they are looking out for a territory of their own and the absence of the Mlowathi Males from this area would be noticed by them. They and the West Street Males would then be competing for the same chunk of land. MalaMala
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