following the Mapogo Pride

How wonderful to hear this news of the lions.  Yes, sad about the big male and one being left to guard Kuhuma.  Mapogos seem to be ruling the bush lately.

I am truely blessed to be able to see live web cams and hear how the lions are progressing.  My heart longs to return to Africa soon.  Keep me posted and I will pray for contiuned protection of all wild animals from pochers.

God Bless,

Alissa

WildEarth has posted an interesting blog article dated 01/08/08 with information and video clips of the Mapogo Coalition.

http://wildearth-media.blogspot.com/

Oh my, Sure puts all of this into prospective.....

They still seem to be confused about the 6th Mapogo, I'd be willing to bet it's the old compatriot detailed on the Mala Mala site who grew up with them but is not blood related and drifts in and out of the pride. As far as the topic of intervention is concerned, I have a fairly strong opinion on that issue. I find it almost ridiculous that intervention is even being considered in this instance. Coalitions this large are rare for this area but occur more frequently in other parts of Africa. These lions aren't upsetting the natural order here, they ARE the natural order, or at least part of it. It is extremely unfortunate that they are responsible for attacking and killing other lions that we have grown to love or enjoy, but to consider culling or relocating them because of it indicates to me that some might be becoming too emotionally involved in the situation. I understand that some level of emotional investment is natural, but some level of detachment is also required when it comes to allowing nature to take its course. Intervention might be a different matter if these lions were raised in captivity and released as some sort of man-made experiment, but they are natural products of the Sabi Sands and the very essence of the natural order that we are striving to maintain. 

To me, the entire point of these parks and reserves is to observe wildlife in their natural habitat, not to control it. Are we going to cull or relocate the Styx because they have killed leopards? The Kuhumas themselves were responsible for chasing the 3 plus 1 pride out of the Sabi Sands.  I realize that some lions, leopards and elephants in distress have been put down by rangers on the Sabi Sands. I have mixed feelings about that but still see a difference between ending the suffering of an animal and interfering with the natural order by relocating or culling healthy ones. In my view, intervening at all starts us down a slippery slope in the direction of a zoo and away from a reserve and that would be a bitter disappointment. This is just my opinion on the subject, I do feel strongly about it but I don't mean to offend anyone who feels differently. 

I agree Ron. I found it most disturbing that intervention was even being spoken of by some. I also think you are correct about the 6th male. In my opinion, it is most likely the older unrelated one that has been with them from the beginning.

One of the Mapogo Males pictured on this weeks sightings at Elephant Plains Website.

FROM THE EP NEWSLETTER/RANGER DIARY DECEMBER 2007

Lion: We have had excellent, excellent, excellent lion sightings! The love doctor has shot his arrow into the Mapogos. The whole month they have been mating with all the Stix females. So, hopefully, in about 3.5 months there will be plenty of cubs. An unfortunate incident took place when one of the Kuhuma males that were mating with one of the Stix females got into a fight with one of the Mapogo males and died that night. This means that there is only one male left to protect all 12 cubs of the Kuhuma Pride. It will be sad, should this male and all the cubs also be killed. But, that is the way of the wild. There is an upside to the story: if the Mapogos take over the Kuhuma females it will mean that the Mapogos would have taken over all the prides in and around our traversing area. So, there will be no more killing of cubs by the Mapogos because all the cubs will be theirs. We can only hope that the New Year will bring lots of lion cubs and less mortalities. This year the Mapogos killed at least 22 lions that we know of.

Hope I am not adding repeated information

The Mapogo Males originated from a game reserve called Ulusaba, to the South of Djuma, bordering the reserves of Inyati and Singita. Little is known of their mother, but they are six brothers, all about 7 years old. A Couple of days ago 4 male lions were spotted on AfriCam's Nkohro Cam. A reliable source confirmed my suspicion that it was them. But what about the other two? This is where it gets interesting. One of the two missing pride members is thought to be somewhere in the west close to Elephant Plains and Simbambili, but I am not exactly certain. However, the whereabouts' of the sixth member I am sure of. Aparantly, two weeks ago the Mapogo Males were drinking from the Sand river in Londolozi Game Reserve when a crocodile attacked and killed one of them at the waters edge. This is a rather rare occurrence, but it does happen and it did happen to one of or Mapogo's. So we are down to 5 males, maybe 4.

more of same article:

The Mapogo's are frequently seen in neighboring farms Londolozi, Mala Mala and of course here in Djuma. On 26 October 2007 the 4 remaining males tried to kill a buffalo on Quarantine ( just a stones throw from here). Unfortunately they were unsuccessful and headed east into Torchwood, which is outside of our traversing area.
Another interesting fact about these magnificent male lions is that they are rather choosy hunters. They are well known for hunting young white (or square lipped) rhino calves, there have been a few recorded sightings where this occurred. How they actually do this I cant say, but what an amazing, sad and horrifying thing to see. Only a couple of weeks ago, they killed a rhino and a giraffe in one day!!!

These Mapogo's are definitely the bunch to look out for, since their first appearance in the Djuma area almost a year ago, they have brought us amazing sightings and have been the source of many conversations and questions, which WE appreciate. I hope I have shed some light on the history and wonderful lives of these mysterious Mapogo's.

A posting by Pippa Moolman regarding the Mapogo Males

Ron,

I have been watching Africam for some time and finally joined recently. This is the first time I feel I HAVE to add a comment. Thank you for saying what many of us feel. Killing is uncomfortable for us to view and I usually don't, but we are the interlopers here. There is much joy in nature.

In doing more reading of Sightings Info, I came across this info a little earlier from Arathusa Game Reserve.

December 14, 2007

This has been two weeks of the most vivid manifestation of life and death. We were privileged enough to witness both the birth of a new baby wildebeest as well as the death of one of our much-loved Kuhuma male lions.
As stated in our previous report, we have been seeing a lot more of the five big Mapogo male lions. Last week the elusive sixth member of the group finally joined the pride.
Bigger, darker and bolder than the rest, he lent a menacing presence. Absolutely mindblowing sightings of all of them together followed. Unfortunately this spectacle was to end in disaster for our lion population.
The two Kuhuma males we see on a regular basis came down to the southern reaches of their territory to mate with two of the Styx pride females (which are in estrus at the moment). The fact that they are territorial also means that the Kuhuma Males are very vocal. A bout of territorial calling eventually brought about the inevitable.
We awoke one morning to an update that the Mapogo Males were in “full swing”.

Upon reaching the sighting we found three of them all roaring and very mobile to the east. We followed the leading male - he led us straight to two more of the group moving around the female lion which had been mating with the Kuhuma boys the previous day.
A massive fight ensued between the Kahuma and the Mapogo male lions - and the Kuhumas came off second best. We followed four of the Mapogos as they pursued the Styx female. Late in the drive everything calmed down with all four males and the female lying down in the shade.
Upon our return to the sight in the afternoon, we found that the Mapogo males now had two females with them and that two of the males were mating with them, pausing occasionally only to keep the others at bay.
Later on in the drive, the bigger of the two Kuhuma brothers was located. He was in a badly injured state, unable to move. His enemies (the four Mapogo males) were no more than two hundred meters away. What followed was pure proof of “Survival of the Fittest”!
Upon our return the next day we found the badly mauled remains of the once proud Kuhuma male.
Only time will tell what this means for our lion population. The Kuhuma pride and their cubs will from now on be under constant threat from other marauding males with only one brother left to protect the cubs. The Mapogos were last seen heading back from whence they came.

Thank you Ron for posting this. Well thought out and well spoken.

Thanks, Mrs. C. I think I may have overreacted to an offhanded comment from the WE blog, it sounds as if the rangers were more talking out of frustration than anything else (which is certainly understandable) and never gave any serious consideration to taking those kinds of steps.

Getting back to the Mapogo sightings, I think this has been reported on the forum here but not this thread, so here's the info from the EP site. From what I can gather, Big Dam is a little south of EP. We definitely heard the Mapogos roaring on the EP cam from this kill site a few nights ago!

• All six Mapogo males feeding on the giraffe kill at Big Dam

Mapogo male on buffalo kill

February 24, 2008

One of the Mapogos came to EP and laid around for 3 hours.
They were on a Buff Kill over in Arathusa at Shirley's Camp.

According to the March EP Newsletter, 1 of them also killed an adult hyaena during the same time frame.

 March 13, 2008

 The Saga Continues....

One of the Nkuhuma Lionesses and from what was said "2" of the cubs were killed by the Mapogos in the Djuma Area.

The Mapogos came up on the Nkuhuma Females(unknown how many were there) and at least the 2 cubs on a Waterbuck Kill in thick bush, there was a fight between the females and Mapogos and 1 lioness was killed along with the 2 cubs. It was not said if the 2 cubs were confirmed as hers.

The female did not have any marks showing on her and we did not see the cubs as it was said that the Mapogos had eaten them. :( 

Also the remaining Nkuhuma Male, Dozie, was not mentioned as being in the area of all of this sad drama. So, we are hoping that he along with the other "now 8" lionesses and unknown amount of remaining cubs still survive.

2 or 3 of the Mapogos were sporting some fresh battle wounds, so at least we know that the Nkuhuma Females gave them a "good fight" trying to protect the cubs and themselves. 

I'll share more as I learn more.

R.I.P. Nkuhuma Female and 2 Cubs. 

Thank you so much Karen. It is hard news to hear. I truly understand survival of the fittest but it isn't without its sadness.

Thanks, Karen, for this very sad, but not surprising, news. Two more cubs down and one female. Karen, is it being reported how many surviving cubs there are? Were they male or female?

Thank you for the news, it explains the video I just saw. Very sad news indeed, but yes...it is nature, can't help but feel connected after being privelged to join this site.

Your welcome Donna and Marblehead, wish I could say that it was my pleasure to share the info. Yes, it is The Wheels of Nature, but that still does not mean we have to like what happens, does it.

There have been conflicting counts on the cubs for a few months now. Most recent reports keep saying around 14, even tho I feel that should be a little more. Since the Nkuhumas have moved out of areas that we can see or read more about in different Sightings Reports, it is unfortunately hard to keep up with them as easy as it used to be.
It was not said whether the cubs were male or female nor how old they could have possibly been.

 here is two mapogo lions this morning ..they killed one lioness with cubs

Hi,

I guess might comment did not work yesterday.

Saw them yesterday on the Djuma game drive which I think is close to NK and EP

Three of the Mapogos were seen at Djuma this past week feeding on a buffalo.  A couple of days later, the Sandy Patch female( I believe some refer to here as Garbo in the chat forums)  was also feeding on the buffalo kill with the Mapogos.  She appeared to be lactating, but no cubs were seen.  I wonder what the break down is?  It has to be a Mapogo father of course, right?

 Also were the Kuhuma males also known as the Rollercoaster  males as I have seen a lot mentioned of the one RollerCoaster male bouncing back and forth between the Styx and Kuhuma prides after his brother was killed by the Mapogos while mating with a Styx pride member.  I am assuming that it is Blondie and Dozie, as we know them, that they are referring to.

Hi Kerri,

The Roller Coaster Males are a different 2 males than the Nkuhuma Males. 1 of them was killed by a Crocodile back in June of 2007. The surviving Roller Coaster Male is seen at times with the Styx Pride and also with the Eyrefield Pride.

Blondie, the oldest brother of the Nkuhuma Males was killed by Mapogos in December of 2007. 

To my knowledge, Roller Coaster Male has not been seen with any of the Nkuhuma Lionesses at all.

There is further info on the Roller Coaster Males in the Sightings Database Area HERE.

Hope that helps.

Hi all,

Septembre 19  Two off the mapogo's had a fight with eachother.

Amazing picture's are posted at Leopard hills here-->

http://www.leopardhills.com/blog/index.php?itemid=266#more

You can click on a photo to enlarge it.

Hannes who took the picture's said->

Adding in another tidbit of info about the Mapogo/Eyrefield males.  As of Sept. 1, 2009, Mala Mala has renamed the two youngest Eyrefield Males.  They are now known on Mala Mala as the Mlowathi Males.   This is due to them establishing territory in Mala Mala for quite some time now.  These two are also known as Kinky Tail and Mr T.

OK Old (2008)  ... but its all about the mapogo's!  Photo 2 (the 5 mapogo's together drinking)

Photo 1 is the Sandriver cubs. (sad story)...

http://www.leopardhills.com/blog/index.php?itemid=91

(once they were kittens also) here kittie kittie... Purrrrrrr purrrrrrrr

Hey all.

Sandy Patch lioness has been seen lately! First with 3 cubs , but she did loose 2.. But we have seen her at Djuma lately with one cub.. We all hoped Sandy would join a pride ! Together with the only surviving (shot) Sandriver.

Sadly the Sandriver didnt make it... But as far as i know Sandy Patch did and is OK.

Ive seen Sandy Patch and 1 cub some days  ago.  She Looked very well!

I can be corrected if i gave some wrong info..

* edit  *  (sorry)