December 2005
WINDMILL PRIDE = 12
6 ADULT FEMALES
1 SUB-ADULT FEMALE *4
YEARS 1 MONTHS
1 SUB-ADULT FEMALE *3 YEARS
2 MONTH
2 CUBS *21 MONTHS
2 CUBS *18 MONTHS
Location: EASTERN CHARLESTON , EASTERN FLOCKFIELD
Eight members of this pride were seen on only one occasion, south and west of the windmill itself. These lions moved east towards the Kruger Park where the majority of their territory exists. All lions were in good condition.
November 2005
WINDMILL PRIDE = 12
6 ADULT FEMALES
1
SUB-ADULT FEMALE *4
YEARS
1
SUB-ADULT FEMALE *3
YEARS 1 MONTH
2
CUBS *20
MONTHS
2 CUBS *17
MONTHS
Location: EASTERNCHARLESTON , EASTERN FLOCKFIELD
No sightings.
October 2005
WINDMILL PRIDE = 12
6 ADULT FEMALES
1 SUB-ADULT FEMALE *3
YEARS 11 MONTHS
1 SUB-ADULT FEMALE *3
YEARS 0 MONTHS
2 CUBS *19 MONTHS
2 CUBS *16 MONTHS
Location: EASTERN CHARLESTON , EASTERN FLOCKFIELD
Only a single lioness of the Windmill Pride was seen in October, and she was only seen on two days of the month. On both occasions, she was accompanied by the Skukuza Males and was mating with one of them. The rest of the pride has probably been spending much time in the Kruger Park to the east of Flockfield, Charleston and Toulon .
September 2005
WINDMILL PRIDE = 12
6 ADULT FEMALES
1 SUB-ADULT FEMALE *3 YEARS 10 MONTHS
1 SUB-ADULT FEMALE *2 YEARS 11 MONTHS
2 CUBS *18 MONTHS
2 CUBS *15 MONTHS
Location: CHARLESTON , NORTH-EASTERN TOULON
There were only three confirmed sightings of any Windmill Pride members in September, and only three lionesses were seen. A lioness seen mating with one of four young male lions, could possibly have been a Windmill Pride female.
August 2005
WINDMILL PRIDE = 12
6
ADULT FEMALES
1 SUB-ADULT FEMALE *3 YEARS 9 MONTHS
1 SUB-ADULT
FEMALE *2
YEARS 10 MONTHS
2 CUBS *17 MONTHS
2 CUBS *14 MONTHS
Location: CHARLESTON , NORTH-EASTERN TOULON
There were numerous sightings of the Windmill Pride members in August, and they provided some good viewing, mainly along both sides of the Chellahanga River system, as well as along the Sand River in the vicinity of Ridge Rocks. There were no sightings of any cubs, and it is not known whether any of the older cubs are still alive.
Up to seven lionesses were seen together in August, and these females seem to be doing well on the whole, as they often looked very well fed. One of the lionesses was seen mating with an unidentified male lion near Rocky Crossing.
The old lioness of the Windmill Pride is really showing her age now, and she could be on her way out.
July 2005
WINDMILL PRIDE = 12
6 ADULT FEMALES
1 SUB-ADULT FEMALE
*3 YEARS 8 MONTHS
1 SUB-ADULT FEMALE
*2 YEARS 9 MONTHS
2 CUBS
*16
MONTHS
2 CUBS
*13
MONTHS
2 YOUNG CUBS
Location: CHARLESTON
July was not a good month for the Windmill Pride. Members of this pride were only seen on four occasions, and only six members of the pride were seen. The first sighting was of four lionesses together on southern Charleston, and all was well with them. A few days later one lioness was seen with two cubs. Then there were no sightings of any Windmill Pride members for more than 2 weeks, until two cubs were seen, looking emaciated, on Machela Rocks on southern Toulon. Now this is where the Charleston Pride lionesses had been keeping their cubs, so it should have been no major surprise when, 3 days later, these two Windmill Pride cubs were found to have been killed. Tracks leading away from the little carcasses led to the position of the Charleston Pride lionesses, indicating that they had almost certainly killed the cubs.
June 2005
WINDMILL PRIDE = 12
6 ADULT FEMALES
1 SUB-ADULT FEMALE *3
YEARS 7 MONTHS
1 SUB-ADULT FEMALE *2 YEARS 8 MONTHS
2 CUBS
*15 MONTHS
2 CUBS
*12 MONTHS
Location: CHARLESTON
As can be seen on the map, the sightings of the Windmill Pride all took place on central and south-eastern Charleston. In all six sightings, only three lionesses were seen. All appeared to be well with these animals, and it is likely that the other members of the pride have been hunting mainly to the east of Charleston, in the Kruger National Park.
May 2005
WINDMILL PRIDE = 12
6 ADULT FEMALES
1 SUB-ADULT FEMALE *3 YEARS 6 MONTHS
1 SUB-ADULT FEMALE *2 YEARS 7 MONTHS
2 CUBS
*14 MONTHS
2 CUBS
*11 MONTHS
Location: CHARLESTON
The Windmill Pride contributed significantly to the lion viewing in the south of the reserve in May. Most of the sightings were on eastern Charleston and north-eastern Toulon. Sometimes all eight lionesses of the pride were seen together, and two cubs were also seen. The Windmill Pride females were seen to make four kills, namely two kudu, an impala (which they lost to hyenas) and a zebra. One of the lionesses of the pride is a really old female, probably well over 15 years of age.
April 2005
WINDMILL PRIDE = 12
6 ADULT FEMALES
1 SUB-ADULT FEMALE *3 YEARS
5 MONTHS
1 SUB-ADULT FEMALE *2
YEARS 6 MONTHS
2 CUBS
*13 MONTHS
2 CUBS
*10 MONTHS
Location: CHARLESTON
The Windmill Pride contributed significantly to Mala Mala’s lion viewing in April, as these lions spent much time on Charleston. The first few sightings were of just three females, but then they joined up with four other lionesses of the pride, and were seen to kill an adult wildebeest. A male lion joined them on this kill. The very next day, five of these lionesses and the male lion were seen feeding on the carcass of an adult male kudu! When luck is running their way, lions must make the most of it, because there are times when things just keep going wrong for them, and sometimes they might go without a meal for at least a week.
There were no sightings of any of the cubs of the Windmill Pride in April. One of the lionesses was also not seen, but it was not established whether it was the very old lioness that was missing.
March 2005
WINDMILL PRIDE = 12
6 ADULT FEMALES
1 SUB-ADULT FEMALE *40
MONTHS
1 SUB-ADULT FEMALE *29
MONTHS
2 CUBS
*12
MONTHS
2 CUBS
*9
MONTHS
Location: CHARLESTON / TOULON
All sightings involving the Windmill Pride during the March game report period were of just four lionesses, one of them being a sub-adult. They covered a fair amount of ground, and were even seen on western Toulon, which is certainly not traditional Windmill Pride territory. The lionesses seem to be doing well, and provided good viewing on an impala kill on one occasion. Where the rest of the pride are, and how many of them still exist, is not known, but it is likely that they have been hunting mainly in the Kruger National Park, probably east of Charleston.
February 2005
WINDMILL PRIDE = 12
6 ADULT FEMALES
1 SUB-ADULT FEMALE *39
MONTHS
1 SUB-ADULT FEMALE *28
MONTHS
2 CUBS
*11 MONTHS
2 CUBS
*8 MONTHS
Members of the Windmill Pride were seen on eleven days in February, but on each occasion only four lionesses (three adults and a sub-adult) were seen. The majority of these sightings were on Charleston, but the lions were also seen to the south of the Sand River on Toulon on two consecutive days around the middle of the month.
January 2005
WINDMILL PRIDE = 12
6 ADULT FEMALES
1 SUB-ADULT FEMALE *38
MONTHS
1 SUB-ADULT FEMALE *27
MONTHS
2 CUBS *10 MONTHS
2 CUBS *7
MONTHS
There were three sightings of the Windmill Pride in January, but only four members of the pride were seen on each occasion. They made their way northwards from southern central Charleston. Three adult lionesses and one sub-adult female were seen, and all appeared to be in good shape. The Windmill Pride does split up from time to time, and time will tell what the composition of the pride currently is.
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