December 2009
CHARLESTON PRIDE = 4
1 ADULT FEMALES 12 YEARS 6 MONTHS
2 ADULT FEMALES 5 YEARS 6 MONTHS
1 ADULT FEMALE 4 YEARS 11 MONTHS
1 MALE CUB 2 MONTHS
SOUTHERN CHARLESTON, TOULON
(17 sightings)
The most exciting news in the lion world is the introduction of one lion cub by the Charleston pride this month. The tiny male cub is about two months old and he is born to one of the younger females. Unfortunately there looks to be only one cub, which is unusual for lions but perhaps some were killed at an early age. What ever the situation its great to have more cubs running around and with the Toulon males looking unstoppable in the south we hope more will be on the way shortly.
November 2009
CHARLESTON PRIDE = 4
1 ADULT FEMALES 12 YEARS 5 MONTHS
2 ADULT FEMALES 5 YEARS 5 MONTHS
1 ADULT FEMALE 4 YEARS 10 MONTHS
SOUTHERN CHARLESTON, TOULON
(22 sightings)
Seen on almost every day this month this pride is going from strength to strength, and now finally after months of waiting some of the lionesses have given birth. The den site is around island crossing and it looks as if two females are lactating. The other two have also mated with the newly named Toulon males and so in the near future there could be some more cubs. During the middle of the month rangers got the first glimpse of one of the young cubs when he came out to greet his mother when she returned to the den site, the cub was about three to four weeks old but it disappeared into the thick undergrowth as soon as mom arrived. During the month the females rarely were seen together with the two lactating females staying together whilst the remaining two stayed with the males. The lactating females managed to pull down a buffalo on which they fed for several days while one lionesses and all three males surprised everyone when they were found with not one, not two, but three buffalo carcass all killed on the same night. The four lions feed off the kills for almost a week before moving off and letting the vultures finished what they couldn’t. There is a very bright future for this pride down in the south.
October 2009
CHARLESTON PRIDE = 4
1 ADULT FEMALES 12 YEARS 4 MONTHS
2 ADULT FEMALES 5 YEARS 4 MONTHS
1 ADULT FEMALE 4 YEARS 9 MONTHS
SOUTHERN CHARLESTON, TOULON
(17 sightings)
The pride continues to flourish, and since the take over by the three young males several months ago they have gone from strength to strength. Now more good news for the pride is that they might have cubs, one possibly two females have given birth around island crossing. The cubs will be only be a few weeks old at the end of the month and for now the pride is split so its difficult to know just how many females have given birth but lets hope all cubs make it. The pride did come together on a few occasions and on one such occasion they managed to kill an adult male kudu, the males were present and all seven lions made short work of the large antelope.
September 2009
CHARLESTON PRIDE = 4
1 ADULT FEMALES 12 YEARS 3 MONTHS
2 ADULT FEMALES 5 YEARS 3 MONTHS
1 ADULT FEMALE 4 YEARS 8 MONTHS
SOUTHERN CHARLESTON, TOULON
(14 sightings)
The pride continues in their good fortunes under the new dominance of the three young males. The pride was seen in its full compliment for most of the sightings and always in good health. One sighting had them at calabash crossing with a male buffalo kill; the pride fed for three days and were joined by the males who were still eager to mate at any opportunity. The females rebuffed their advances, which is a good sign that some of them might be pregnant and so hopefully it wont be long before a new generation of cubs graces the lands here at Mala Mala.
August 2009
CHARLESTON PRIDE = 4
1 ADULT FEMALES 12 YEARS 2 MONTHS
2 ADULT FEMALES 5 YEARS 2 MONTHS
1 ADULT FEMALE 4 YEARS 7 MONTHS
SOUTHEASTERN TOULON
(16 sightings)
Making yet another strong showing this month the Charleston pride were seen throughout southern Charleston and northern Toulon. The four females have filled the gap left by the Selati pride and with them being taken over by the three young males it looks as if they are here to stay. Split for most of the month some of the females stuck with the males while some wondered on their own. All look to be in great shape and all have accepted the new males so hopefully cubs will be appearing in the near future. One memorable sighting had three lionesses hunting before sunset with one of the males. They surrounded a small group of Nyala and rushed in. A lioness caught a young female Nyala but as she tried to subdue the Nyala the male rushed in and forcefully ripped it from her and made off with it.
July 2009
CHARLESTON PRIDE = 4
1 ADULT FEMALES 12 YEARS 1 MONTHS
2 ADULT FEMALES 5 YEARS 1 MONTH
1 ADULT FEMALE 4 YEARS 6 MONTHS
SOUTHEASTERN TOULON
(19 sightings)
Again the most commonly seen pride this month, they were found all over Toulon and southern Charleston but stuck mainly to the river course. With the seemingly withdrawal of the Selati pride from Mala Mala this pride now has the full run of the south and looks to be making the most of it with them, often being found far from were they were left the night before. The three young males also continue to hang around with the pride and so the future of this pride looks very promising. During the month some of the females split off from the pride and were seen with some the males although no mating was witnessed the behaviour suggests otherwise and so hopefully cubs will not be to far away.
June 2009
CHARLESTON PRIDE = 4
1 ADULT FEMALES 12 YEARS 10 MONTHS
2 ADULT FEMALES 5 YEARS
1 ADULT FEMALE 4 YEARS 5 MONTHS
SOUTHEASTERN TOULON
(21 sightings)
With the most sightings this month the small pride have firmly established themselves in the southern parts of Mala Mala and Toulon. The four females were seen hunting on many an occasion and on one particular day killed an adult kudu and impala at the same time. During the month the pride was found surrounding a young male lion cub and although rangers left the area the cub’s carcass was discovered the next day. The lion cubs belonged to the Selati pride and perhaps this was payback for all their cubs being killed. The pride has also begun associating themselves with three young male lions, these males are very relaxed in the presence of vehicles but we aren’t sure of their origins. The males are about five years in age and all are in excellent condition. During the month one of the younger lionesses was also seen to mate with one of the males, this bodes well for the future of the pride as they are in need of a stable male coalition who will hopefully become dominant in the area and increase the numbers of this once mighty pride.
May 2009
CHARLESTON PRIDE = 4
1 ADULT FEMALES 12 YEARS 9 MONTHS
2 ADULT FEMALES 5 YEARS
1 ADULT FEMALE 4 YEARS 4 MONTHS
SOUTHEASTERN TOULON
(20 sightings)
A great month of sightings for this small pride. They spent the first half of the month favouring the western bank of the Sand River spending a lot of time in and around the Golf course close to Kirkmans camp. During this period they were seen on three occasions with kills consisting of a male impala, a female waterbuck and a 4 year old kudu bull, the latter being stolen by the Selati pride. They then moved their attention to the eastern bank of the river. On the sixteenth of the month, one of the pride members was seen mating with a male from the Skukuza area. One only hopes that this romance will bear fruit and that the pride will strengthen in numbers. With the added bulk of the Skukuza male the pride was able to bring down an adult male buffalo that evening. They spent the next four days in the area before again being chased off the kill by other lions, this time three nomadic males from the KNP. With the feast all but a distant memory, the Skukuza male made another appearance and the mating resumed. One only hopes that this pride will go from strength to strength in the coming months.
March 2007
CHARLESTON PRIDE = 4
1 ADULT FEMALES 12 YEARS 7 MONTHS
2 ADULT FEMALES 4 YEARS 9 MONTHS
1 ADULT FEMALE 4 YEARS 2 MONTHS
SOUTHEASTERN TOULON
(20 sightings)
Having lost their cubs last month this pride was had a strong presence on central Toulon and southern Charleston in March. The pride seems to have pushed the Selati pride out and taken control of the south. The Selati pride will be concerned for their cubs and the retribution they may face for killing the Charleston cubs and so have gladly conceded ground. The Charleston pride have a core of young females now and so I’m sure in the near future they will be having more cubs and with the golf course males coming into their prime a bright future awaits this once powerful pride. It will be interesting to see where they settle as the windmill pride has also been showing a presence in eastern Charleston and the Selati pride will surely move back once the cubs are older.
February 2007
CHARLESTON PRIDE = 5
1 ADULT FEMALES 12 YEARS 6 MONTHS
2 ADULT FEMALES 4 YEARS 8 MONTHS
1 ADULT FEMALE 4 YEARS 1 MONTH
1 CUBS 7 MONTHS
SOUTHEASTERN TOULON
(13 sightings)
With one of their cubs being killed last month the pride were cautious and were not seen at the beginning of the month. Then the night of the 11th came around and the pride lost their last cub to the Selati pride. Lions move on quickly from the death of their cubs knowing that they will shortly have more and the pride became very visible during the last half of the month, with them being seen almost every day. The pride was also joined by the Golf Course males on a number of occasions, the males will be paying close attention to the females as they will be coming back onto heat and all looking have their next litter. Interesting to note is that with the absence of the Selati pride the Charleston pride have moved into their traditional territory this more than likely would have been influenced by the Golf Course males and their dominance over the area as well as the raging river preventing free movement.
January 2007
CHARLESTON PRIDE = 5
2 ADULT FEMALES * 12 YEARS 5 MONTHS
2 SUB ADULT FEMALES * 4 YEARS 7 MONTHS
1 SUB ADULT FEMALE * 4 YEARS
SOUTHEASTERN TOULON
(5 sightings)
This pride was seen regularly in southern Charleston this month. Thy were found on a number of kills but were not watched hunting. Unfortunately with the long grass and flooding river they were not seen as much this month as last.
