Although I have been going on safaris for a number of years, I have never been fortunate enough to witness a Male lion takeover.
Up until 1992, there was a fence between the Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve, and the Kruger National Park. And up until this point two dominant male lions controlled most of the Londolozi traverse. (Londolozi is a private reserve within the Sabi Sand). They were a formidable pair and totally in control of the surrounding prides. However when the fence between Reserve and National Park was dropped, this all changed.
As soon as the fence was removed, nomadic & rogue male lions moved in from the Kruger, and on one fateful night, a coalition of 5 male lions looked to challenge for a territory for themselves.
Chris Kane Berman, the Londolozi General Manager, was a ranger in the 1990’s and he clearly remembers an incredible takeover.
“We had spent the afternoon with the two males and it wasn’t long after dinner in the boma that we heard them vocalizing again. Roaring deep into the night, the calls were however suddenly rebutted with the sound of new males steadily advancing east of our boundary. When we headed out at first light there were lion tracks everywhere. These tracks led us to, what is today known as, Tsalala Pan. Scattered around the pan were 5 new male lions lying around the dead bodies of two previously dominant males.
It wasn’t long before two of the males lifted their heads and vocalized once again. The remainder of the lions then got up and attacked the carcasses of the two established males who they had obviously fought and killed during the night. Interestingly, this behaviour continued throughout the day. By the time this new coalition left the scene, they had already fed off of them and were quite content to let a nearby crocodile as well as hyenas finish off the remains. As dusk broke, all 5 males stood up and declared their dominance by roaring into the night.”
