It’s been pretty hard to keep up with all the love-making happening in the Klaserie over the last month. We’ve got 3 Trilogy males spreading their seed throughout both the Ross and Giraffe pride lionesses, plus, there’s the dominant male in nDzuti Safari Camp domain who is known for killing the River Pride male. And he was caught having his way with a young lioness from the River Pride (it was a very romantic riverside setting, to his credit). In addition to all this excitement, we can also confirm that one of the lionesses in this mix is currently nursing cubs in a hidden location. It’s all good and well catching these cats in the act, but what we really want to see are the cute and fluffies that arrive as a result!
In the process of figuring it out for ourselves, we thought we’d share it with you, avid lion freaks (just like us) who want to be in the know about whose genes are going where and when we can expect to see white lions pop up like cotton balls. Here it is, the Klaserie Lion Romance decoded.
Trilogy brothers 1 and 2 can be recognised by facial scars, while the 3rd one has a limp in his back leg. For the purpose of this blog, let’s call them Scratch, Scar, and Stikinyaw (a Shangaan word for ‘limp’). Scratch, who has many battle scars decorating his muzzle, has bagged himself a pair of white lionesses and a tawny lioness from the Giraffe Pride. We reported this momentous occasion about a week ago, but looking at more images of white lions never hurt anyone, right?
Scar, who has one definite clip out of this nose, has his sights set on one of the Ross Pride breakaway lionesses – the looker with the deep amber eyes. OK, so she can be Amber for the moment. This pair have been mating for a while now. You might remember the epic images of this love making dual taken by Shannon, and the relatively frightening moment Scar mock charged the nThambo Tree Camp game viewer…
That was about 3 weeks ago, but these two clearly have a soft spot for one another because they were seen in the throes of passion again yesterday. We’d really like to commend their efforts to populate the Klaserie with lion cubs.
Trilogy brother number 3 probably has the most handsome face out of the trio (clearly having sacrificed his back leg to keep his good looks). His limp is his identifier, and he seems to be relaxing and just being the King of the Jungle right now. Perhaps he is the bad boy who sired the cubs that are currently being kept safe in a secret drainage line by their mom, breakaway Ross lioness number 2? This lioness has rather a moth-eaten ear (although a moth is probably not responsible for the chew marks in her ear), and her unkempt appearance has won her the nickname Tatty. So Tatty, we urge you, stay put and feed those babies as much as they can handle, and please do not emerge until those little fluff balls can follow you!
North of Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp, the Klaserie River winds its way through the ridges and valleys of the reserve. This is where the fair-furred lioness of the River Pride found herself in the romantic riverside setting being charmed by a lion that has fought his way to the top. We’re going to call him Brad (from Fight Club, get it?), and she can be Lady Pale. Bruce and Judy Meeser of nDzuti Safari Camp witnessed these 2 on numerous occasions, and when our photographers got there, they got to enjoy the show too.
Well the Klaserie lions certainly know how to get it on, which is a good thing, because believe it or not, these little cubs are not born apex predators. They fall victim to leopards, lions, and hyenas, stampeding buffalo, big birds of prey, and venomous snakes. Lion cubs’ mortality rate is 50%, which is extremely high, and we know all to well how easily their mothers can lose them. Here’s hoping that with all the mating going on, and with the Trilogy spreading their genes throughout the Klaserie and the Timbavati, that a litter of lion cubs will survive. Tatty, we’re looking at you first, girl.
(P.S. We’re not into naming lions for real, so Tatty, Ratty, Patty, and Peter up there can go back to being big, wild cats of the Klaserie).
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