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Chukhamila here are two males of the Muntshe pride in Feb2012 that I saw on the H10

wow nice picture... nice big males.

When we saw them last in October 2009, it was a big male, 6 females, and 5 cubs eating on a buffalo.

Hi everyone, a subject very dear to my heart.

I have been following the prides from Lower Sabie going north very closely for about 7 years now, and it is true that during my October visits lions are definitely more visible.
February they are still visible early in the morning having slept on the tar and in May they are a little more difficult to find.

The H10 has a few small prides which seem to be stable to that area and the Muntshe
pride is a lot smaller than it was about 4/5 years ago.
The 2 Muntshe males are old now but have survived any take over bids, there were 3 males but I believe the one died from TB.
I have seen a number of individuals come and go up and down this road and some you just never see again.

The H1-3 extending to the S86 loop has been the extent of my research.
The big pride which I called the Mazithi pride (the dam being the nucleus of their natal area).
This pride 7 years ago numbered 30.
They then split up into 2 groups, the one having 10 young males, 1 young female and an older female who was the mother of the oldest male in that group.
The other group was the two adult males, 4 females and young cubs of various ages.
The Mazithi pride has since grown to number 18 again, but the two males are also not young anymore and the four females are even older.
When the group divided the 10 males with 2 females I called the Breakaway Boys and saw them on the S34 and H1-2.
I have missed seeing the Mazithi pride for about a year now despite my attempts to find them but wonderful people like ADW let me know if they see them and forward pics to me.

Even though I travel these roads every day for 2 weeks at a time, 3 times a year it is difficult to "just find the lions", some trips are more productive than others.

In my humble opinion, there are fewer lions than there were 7 years ago, many fewer, I don't have any
reasons why and although the Mazithi pride continues to prosper, it appears to me that the numbers are generally down.

I have followed these animals out of a love for them that I cant define and I hope the tide turns and the numbers return.
Those of you who have had the privilege to be close when a lion roars I am sure will agree.

Bornfree

Thanks for this update bornfree, ill have my eyes open in February, and report back if I get the opportunity to be graced by their presents.

I have been told and I'm not sure who told me this but the lion numbers have decreased in Kruger and this is mainly due to TB.
But the exciting news is that a new breed of lion, a TB resistant lion is being found and those re the lions we are seeing more and more of, these lions are less prone to the effects of TB and therefore are surviving. This will result in a increase of the population of lions and therefore an increase in lion population within Kruger and surrounding reserves which is exciting news.

Don't hold me on its validity but this is something I have been told and does sound reasonable to me.

Also a reason for the dispersion of lion during the summer months is due to the rainfall, with rainfall comes standing water in the veld which means that prey animals don't need to search for water and therefore are more dispersed then in other months, causing the lions to follow.
Because most of Kruger's roads follow water sources, we see more animals during the drier seasons as they congregate around water sources in search of water and therefore the lions follow.
With so much water around in summer, there is no need to congregate around water sources and therefore you will find lions in places you didn't think they would be or deep in there territories because that where the prey is.

Also explains why there's an increase in lion sightings in drought periods.
Water is the key here

I just spent 5 days in Kruger and did not see 1 lion but had 3 leopard sightings.

Guys thanks for all the interesting comments

I think we have an interesting thread going here.

Sorry haven't had a chance to post pics will make it a point of starting tomorrow

" Since the kruger national park is fenced off conservation area how do the parks employees ensure the introduction of strong genes into the Lion population?"

Hi There

I want to respond to the start again. Evenso, the Park is fenced they are Areas, specially the Border to Zimbabwe and Mocambique, where new Genes comming in. It is not only the Lion population also other Animals show that behavior of entering the Park.

Is the Lion population is increasing or decreasing, well that is a verry difficult story to tell. Because in some Areas the Lion population increase rapidly e.G. in namibia. Befor we argue about something. I want to ask, if somebaody have a reliable source of Lion population in the world. It would be great if this numbers are shown in a Map e.g. Namibia increase = green, India decrease = Red. Because if we do have a basis we can talk about it everything else is just spekulation.

I hope i will not get to much bad response