As you all know I am a MASSIVE fan of the Safari Live hosted by Nat Geo, Wild Earth and Ustream. I realised though I haven’t posted for a long time about the drives. One of the major reasons this is because there has been great upheaval in the land of Djuma, Arthusa Safari Lodge and the Sabi Sands Wildtuin!
Mainly with the new collation of young male adults called the Birmingham Boys, or as there new nickname is “The Bad Boys”. There are five of them, there were 6, but one was killed but other male Lions. They’ve gotten there nickname as they’ve killed two cubs, leaving one alive, because Mama Lioness was only able to save the one. They’ve killed about five lionesses (I’ll double check that, it’s 4 or 5). So far there are has been little interaction between these boys and the Matimba males, other than calling and vocalising.
(The Birmingham Boys aka “The Bad Boys” or “The BBoys”)
(The Matimba Males: Hairy Belly and Ginger)
The whole situation is really depressing and really interesting at the same time. I’ve only ever heard of new males killing cubs, which I can understand completely. The whole BBoys killing the Lionesses is something completely new to me and even some of our guides seem perplexed by the situation, because they are just killing so many of them. There is one thought that maybe the Lionesses are resisting the BBoy’s and because they are young and full of testosterone. They came in aggressive, so it’s gets all aggressive type thing.
Just for another interesting twist in the story as well, two other Male lions, who are unidentified, have now also appeared on the scene. Possibly the other two Matimba males from further up North?
Lolsys Library 