Sequel to the lion introduction at Majete
The three Majete lions were released successfully on Saturday, 25 August 2012. Against a backdrop of donors, reporters, photographers, staff and onlookers, Dr Andre Uys and a small team prepared three tranquiliser darts and drove into the boma to immobilise the lions.
The operation went smoothly. Once the lions were safely immobilised, the rest of the team were brought into the boma and the lions were loaded one at a time into Land Cruisers and driven to the release site on the Mkulumadzi River in the north of the reserve. The lions were then off loaded next to a fresh impala carcass and administered with a reversal drug.
Shire (the female) was first to wake up, followed by Sapitwa. They both moved gingerly towards the kill and began to eat, their movements and responses getting more acute as the tranquiliser wore off. Chimwala took longer to come around but within a few minutes all three lions were fighting over the kill and behaving normally.
Around 16h00, the lions were still at the release site, however during the night they started to move north along the Mkulumadzi River. We suspect they made a kill on the first night as they were observed to be fat and well fed the next day.
According to the satellite tracking collar of Sapitwa, he has travelled 92.7 kms since his release. He has been accompanied by the other male Chimwala for most of this time. Chimwala has a VHF transmitter in his collar and both males have been tracked on the ground using the telemetry system. Each time, their collars have been sending signals from the same place. They have explored most of the northern sector of the reserve, spending time between a natural spring at Twiti hills and the Mkulumadzi River. There is a rocky outcrop between these two points where the two males have spent much of their time.
During the dry season this part of the reserve contains large numbers of zebra, sable, waterbuck, impala, warthog, buffalo, bushbuck, kudu and eland. The lions have been observed feeding on zebra, warthog and sable which we assume they have killed. A large male buffalo died from natural causes in the area but was untouched by the lions. Their tracks were found all around the carcass but they did not eat it which is an indication that they were finding sufficient food for themselves. They established a pattern for a few days moving between their rocky outcrop, Mendulo camp and the Namatudzi River and their movements continue to encompass these points.
According to the satellite tracking collar of Shire, she has travelled 93.4kms since her release. She has spent much of this time on her own and has explored an area similar to the males including going as far west as Twiti Spring and as far south as the Nsepete watershed. On her second day of release she was found with a fresh reedbuck kill that she had not eaten. This is a further indication that they managed to kill on their first night as she was not showing signs of extreme hunger.
Shire has remained within the Namtudzi River system for most of her time. As with the males, she has moved west and north visiting their rocky outcrop and Mendulo Camp and she has spent a few days walking along the northern fence boundary. The fence has not been challenged by any of the lions which is an indication that they are respecting the physical barrier for now. Fence attendants walking west along the fence line came across Shire lying next to the fence and when she saw them she got up and ran away. It is encouraging to know that they have a fear of humans on foot as this is a very normal response from wild lions and a further indication that there is no negative feedback from the relocation. Confirmed lion kill species include: reedbuck, warthog, zebra and sable.