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Hi Penny,
Nice to meet you here too.... was just reading about these lions and impressed by al pics and video..
Just a question about the 3 males we saw earlier this year between Satara and Orpen.
This is the link to the page with them ... can anyone say who they are ?
http://www.studio-aat.com/za2009/knp0902_001.htm

just curious
The biggest one was with het back at same level to the window of my car (X-Trail)
Aat

Great to see you here my friend Aat. I think that those 3 lions you saw could well be part of a new coalition of 6 lions that is being seen. Gosh just think if they came into contact with the Mapogos - the fur would really fly! I think that a fairly large percentage of the lions we have seen on the S36 and surrounding area could very well traverse between the Sabie Sands game reserve and Kruger because as the crow flies the two reserves are at that point only a couple of kms apart. It would be so interesting to really know which prides these lions belong to. I will e mail you once we get back from the Kgalagadi as I know you are wanting a report back on the various camps from me.

Hope to hear from you both soon. Penny

Penny,
Thanks for your answer. I know the 3 male lions we met came from Orpen towards Satara and about 5 km before Satara they went into the bush direction south. I know this because we have seen them the day before but they were hiding in high grass near some bushes so diffiult to see them, just so every now and then when they were stretching a bit.

I really like to wish you a very very nice trip to KTP and enjoy all the wildlife. Waves and hugs from the netherlands
Aat

In December we spotted a coalition of three in Kruger, H1-6 between Mopani and Shingwedzi.
Two of them



were marking the territory and roaring





whilst the third had other duties to fulfill.

Those lions are so beautiful. Thanks for sharing.

Bornfree.

My goodness, but they are handsome boys.

Great spot there Crested Barbet
healthy looking bunch....

Has anyone got any new information on the Mapogos and their recent meeting with a coalition of four new males, believed to be from KNP, in SabiSands? Apparently the Mapogo 'kinky tail' was killed by the new males and the tsalala/marthly pride (with mapogo cubs) were attacked too. ???

Hello Emily

I heard that Kinky Tail had been killed in a skirmish with the Mapogos and that an ailing young lioness had died recently as well (cant confirm that)

I heard that the skirmish last night in which the Mapogos were terrorising another coalition,(maybe the Macingelana coalition?) resulted in the first coalition being scattered, but I believe they are regrouping. The cubs are about 18 months old+ so should not be a threat to the mating intents of the Mapogos if they are still in the area.

There is indeed a dominance fight going on in Sabi Sands. Kinky Tail and Mr T, 2 of the Mapogos, killed a young lion early that morning. The video clips are on You Tube but extremely graphic, so no posting here. That night the remaning young males attacked Kinky Tail and Mr T close to Nkorho Bush Lodge. The young coalition is called the Majingilane coalition. The sounds of the fight was recorded on cam. Here is the fight as described by a ranger who witnessed it:

RIP – Kinky Tail: A dream once… now a nightmare! by Karin van der Merwe

"Working at Nkorho Bush Lodge for the last 7 years, I am living the dream of millions of people, right over the world! How do you describe living in the bush? …Remote… lonely sometimes… but blessed with so many things you can never find in “ordinary life”. Life is a journey, and living in the bush is like going to a dream destination everyday of your life… maybe not always easy and rosy, but there is always the beauty in something you see, smell or hear, to make up for the difficulties you may experience. Seeing the beauty and wonder of Mother Nature… and on the other side the reality too… the cruel and brutal side of it! So many times I sat thinking by myself… How must it be, seeing male Lions fighting…the power and strength… ? For years I have been wishing to see it one day! This is exactly what I experienced on Tuesday, 8 June 2010! As they say… be careful what you wish sometimes!

I have seen so many great sightings over the years… and also some sad ones. Animals being injured or killed, the sad ending of the life of a big Elephant bull… dying slowly as we could only watch in helplessness… but nothing could prepare me, for what I was about to witness on that specific day!

With great excitement I got the news of Lions walking over our open area early that morning. It was the young males that came into our area recently. They were feeding on a Buffalo kill north of Nkorho the previous day and must have moved onto our property during the night. Hot on their heels were Mr T and Kinky Tail following them to the north away from Nkorho. The message came over the radio about the 2 Mapogo males moving onto Nkorho property again. After spending some time with 2 other vehicles watching them, I was left alone with the Mapogos. They were on a mission, and the words of Greg, a friend and ranger of a neighbouring lodge earlier the morning, went through my mind… “Karin, today we are going to have a war…” They were sniffing, scent marking, walking in circles all the time. They left me guessing and confused from time to time… what are they up to? Losing visual of them and having 2 rangers responding and on their way, I had to try my luck and take another road to try and relocate them. Coming around a bend I suddenly saw a male Lion lying in tall grasses just off the road. My first thought was that it might be one of the Mapogos… seconds later I was proven very wrong! Mr T and Kinky Tail came charging out the bushes in front of me. Then I knew… Greg was spot on… This could only mean trouble! The other male tried to hide by putting his head very low and lay flat … They first ran past my vehicle that was parked a few metres away from the other male, but they came to a sudden halt and turned around. In a flash the young male jumped up and the Mapogos followed him with one thing in mind… to hunt down and destroy… Just as this all started the other vehicles arrived on the scene just in time to see this frightening event unfolding . The battle started with the most terrifying growls and roaring… I could not believe my eyes and ears… the fierce power and fearlessness, the power and will to survive… two against one, but the young male did not give up easily and every now and again he surprised us all by showing his power by fighting back. Unfortunately he was badly injured and could no longer defend himself. Mr T started announcing their triumph by roaring and sending the message over the African Savannah! With bloody faces, new scars and swollen legs and paws their tired bodies needed a rest and they lay down in the shade guarding their victim for the rest of the day…



Just as it got dark, we found the rest of the young coalition lying north of our open area. In stead of 5 Lions, now there were only four. Not sure if they knew exactly what happened to their brother. After watching them for a while, walking down the road we left them as we returned to the lodge… hoping that they move away from the Mapogos, as we really did not want to have another fight… Later on the 4 males started calling… Our greatest fear was about to happen. During dinner time all hell broke loose and they took on one another. Loud roars and growls filled the air… Jumping in the vehicles we followed them and watched the Lions charging over the open area, through the dry riverbed and then chasing down the road. Not far away the 4 males got hold of Kinky Tail … This is where the real war and nightmare started! It was 4 against one, as Mr T was nowhere to be seen… They pinned him down and the fight was getting fierce and gruesome. The sounds of immense power filled the African skies… It cuts like a knife through your body… I was shocked to the bone…how could this be happening?? Suddenly Mr T appeared from the dark, charging into the hot action without any fear, in desperation to try and defend his brother. Proud, powerful and fearless he gave it his everything but they were just too strong and he was hurt. He turned tail and fled to save his own life… the 4 males chasing him down the road for a few hundred metres. Running and roaring he disappeared deep into the darkness…

The 4 males returned then to a badly injured Kinky Tail were they showed him no mercy and finished him off… Sending a message of dominance and power they started roaring, like only the King of the Animal Kingdom can… The roars filling my body with fear, disgust but also respect for this powerful, majestic animal… Roars of triumph and dominance vibrating deep into the night… An era just came to an end… the ruling of the Mapogos, Mr T and Kinky Tail is no more… new blood, new rulers…

Now very uncertain of what the future holds for the Lion population of the Sabi Sand Game Reserve… The life of a legendary Lion came to an end… RIP Kinky Tail. You will be missed… we were so fortunate spending time with you until the last… You died bravely, fighting till the end! "

Thanx Guinea Pig!

The end of the story is however a bit dramatic (almost like a poor documentary) and untrue as there are still 4 Mapogo males left and they are very very dominant and to a large extent most prides of lions of the Sabi Sands are completely unaffected by these 4 young males.

The Mapogo coalition was 5 (even 6 with another male being a non related male that joined up with the coalition when they were all a young age) large male lions which separated into 2 dominant coalitions of 3 in the west of the Sabi Sands and 2 in the East. The unrelated (or not as related) male still seems to have ties with the 3 in the west from what I understand.
Anyway since the killing of one of the dominant males of the coalition of 2 brothers the other has subsequently headed back west to his 3 brothers. Who knows what will happen now but as in the days of a few years ago when the 5 first came back east after having been born and raised in roughly the same area, they may very well seek out the 4 young males and try and destroy them and regain rule over the area as the Mapogo are still very fit and dominant and will more than likely be too strong for the testosterone filled youngsters.
Interesting times lie ahead for the coalition of Majingilane males. They could easily become dominant but I think its still to early to call them territorial males because the 4 Mapogos can easily end this coalitions temporary reign.
As for the poor Tsalala and Styx prides who knows how their cubs are going to fair. I still know that the Mapogos still try and kill the more than 24 month old Styx cubs when they get the chance.
But as far as Lion genetics go in the central Sabi Sands, it would be good if the new males can take over because the Eyrefield pride has new cubs that have been sired by the 2 Mapogo brothers and with the Mapogo coalition having been born to this pride inbreeding is already taking place like has happened with the Selati/Southern pride in the South, close to Skukuza.

Thanks for all this interesting info GP and o-d!

One really has keep up with all the various reports of sightings to really know what going on in 'deepest, darkest' Africa!

Thanks greatly ! Fantastic info.

I just read on Facebook that MrT is doing very well. He rejoined the rest of the Mapogo's on a buffalo kill. This was reported yesterday morning.
For those who don't know, he's called MrT after the 80's television series The A-team with The big guy and the Mohawk hairstyle. He really does have a Mohawk.

Whats news with these guys GP, or have they all followed the buffalo going north?