Lions sighted near Thawale Lodge

The Majete lions have finally come into the main tourism area and spent some time in the open so that we could see them. They seem to be developing a territory which includes the main tourism circuit.

The lions look to be in good health and a lot leaner than they were in the boma. They all have wounds either on their faces or on their necks. These look like horn wounds and my assumption is that they have got them from trying to hunt sable, though it could be other antelope or warthog as well. Sapitwa has a round wound above his left eye, Chimwala has a gash on the right hand side of his face as well as small cuts on the left and Shire has a round wound in her neck. They do not look serious or infected and they are in keeping with battle scars that I have seen on other lions.

Sapitwa was scent marking the bushes around Njati road and he was shyer than Shire and Chimwala, both of whom were just a few metres from the car. Shire and Chimwala moved along the road and showed some interest in impala but both turned and walked back to Sapitwa after he gave two low contact calls. The scouts have also heard them calling and the imitation they gave suggested to me that these were typical territorial calls. We hope that they are now defining their territory and we are happy that it includes the main tourism circuit.

Shire does not look pregnant or to be with cubs so the report we got from the Mkulumadzi guides about mating was either incorrect or it did not lead to offspring. The three lions have definitely bonded. There was plenty of head rubbing between them and the males rolled over together in the grass at one stage and showed signs of affection. They walked off along the Namitsempha road as it got dark with Shire leading the way. It is good to see lions in Majete.