The Talamati pride pays a visit

Dynamics are always changing when it comes to lion prides and their territories. There has been a new pride that braved exploring beyond their comfort zone.

The first evening the pride crossed over the cutline they managed to catch an impala. There have been a few accounts of them entering and exiting the property overnight.

During the first encounter we witnessed a pride of one older female and seven sub-adults, two of which are male. Their manes are only starting to show under their chins. Considering their ages, they all seemed tall in stature and exhibited great muscle tone.

A few days later the Talamati pride moved deeper into the sector. Scattered around a prominent waterhole, a dazzle of zebra moved around the waters edge. Night fell quickly and the lions edged ever closer. During the morning drive we managed to locate the new pride feeding on a zebra.

With their bellies full and a great source of water nearby, it seemed as if they would be hanging around for a while. A day later there were tracks of a male lion leading straight towards the new pride. The male lion tracks belonged to the darker mane Tumbela male lion. He must have caught the scent or audio of the Talamati pride with the zebra carcass. Judging by the tracks he entered the area and chased them all straight back to where they came from.

The last sighting I managed to see of the Talamati’s was about five of them laying on the banks of the Sand River. This was a bold move for the new pride as they were laying on the edge of the Othawa pride’s prime territory.

The pride did not stick around for too long and connected with the remaining members closer to their previous territory. They have moved out for the meantime, but I most certainly would like to spend a little more time with these lions again.