Skip to main content

Lions of Sabi Sands as of January 2025

 Lions of Sabi Sands as of January 2025

In the north, the Nkuhuma pride remains dominant male-less, but the Mantimahle males seem to be the main contenders after the Kambula males slipped away. Former king of the north, Mohawk is with his two sons in Kruger and they control the Mamtimahle breakaway pride, although sitings have been few and far between, (as usual in Kruger) a recent sighting showed the Ridgenose’s son Nkuhuma male (one of Mohawk’s sons) with the Mantimahle breakaway pride and although not shown, it was stated that Mohawk was also present in the sighting. More exciting news is that one of the Mantimahle breakaway females gave birth to 2 cubs (Mohawk’s “grandcubs”).

In central Sabi Sands, the Ndzhenga males are thriving, despite being more or less  10 years old, they still seem in peak physical condition and their status unchallenged. Things for the Ndzhenga males’ prides are also looking up, the Kambula pride is still thriving and the Ntsevu Pride, who suffered from mange, is recover well, and after the unfortunate loss of a couple of cubs, they are finally looking back to normal.

The Plains Camp males continue to solidify their legacy in the west with one of the Othawa lionesses supposedly giving birth and the Ximungwe lioness has also been confimed to have cubs. Four Monwana young males were seen spending time in the west, but they don’t pose a real threat to the Plains Camp males and were recently chased of a kill by the Talamati, Nkuhuma male coalition and one of the young Monwana’s was seen slightly injured too. The lone Tumbela male is injured on his side and his barely clinging on by scavenging and keeping a low profile. The Kruger and Southern Avoca coalition is holiding strong despite the Southern Avoca seen with injuries, at least he is recovering well and he and his partner are in good condition.

The Styx male has calmed down from his ventures in his fathers’ territory and is keeping a lower profile.

The Gijima males are really solidifying themselves as the most successful coalition of male lions in the Sabi Sands currently and they continue to prove it by recently beating up the Short-tailed Nkuhlu male, who luckily has regrouped and is doing well with his brothers and the Sand River pride. The Gijimas currently have only lost a very small amount of cubs and it was factor they couldn’t control, let’s hope that the Gijimas will continue their impressive reign for the years to come.

Winners and losers:

Winners: Othawa pride, Plains Camp males, Gijima males, Mohawk and his sons, Ntsevu pride and Ndzhenga males.

Losers: Nkuhlu males, Tumbela male, Kambula males and the Monwana males

Thank You for reading this

 

 

 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Lions of Sabi Sands, Manyeleti and Ngala as of March 2025

Lion Dynamics of Sabi Sands, Ngala and Manyeleti as of March 2025 Sabi Sands: In the south, the Gijima males still continue to rule with an iron paw, their grip on the Msuthu, Styx and Southern prides is immense, and it seems like the Nkuhlu males have also learned their lesson not to invade. Speaking of the Nkuhlus, they have started to recalibrate and regroup, they are for now at least not interested in the Gijimas’ territory, but rather in in their Sand River pride. The Nkuhuma males (born in 2019 and Mohawk and Blondie’s sons) and their father, the legendary Mohawk Avoca male, are still holding strong just south-east of Sabi Sands, they control the Mantimahle breakaway pride and the Nkuhuma males have sired at least 2 cubs, sightings are unfortunately rare, as usual in Kruger, but in the latest sightings all 3 males seemed in good condition, let’s hope for all the best. In central Sabi Sands, the Ndzhenga males keep holding on to their territory and their Kambula and Ntsevu pri...
2 comments
Read more

The Lions of Sabi Sands as of October 2024

  Due to the Plains Camp males’ expeditions north ( which are quite successful ), the western sector of Sabi Sands has become quite the hotspot of lion activity. The injured Tumbela male spends most of his time with the Mhangeni pride, which is the pride the Plains Camp males visit the least. Everyone thought that this was very dangerous for the Mhangeni cubs, because the Tumbela male is unrelated to them, but Tumbela proved everyone wrong, he has become quite a favourite amongst the cubs, especially those who were in bad condition when the Plains Camp males were around. The Plains Camp males have finally decided to return west and now are seen with their favourite pride, the Ximungwe pride, and they are spending a lot of time trying to take over the Othawa pride, which is going well for them. The Plains Camp males’ son and daughter, the Nkuhuma Breakaway pride is still doing well in the west.   The Ndzhenga males continue their reign in central Sabi Sands, they rule the Kam...
7 comments
Read more