Addo 2019

[Lisbeth]

That's a lot of moving around. I do understand that there are genetic reasons, but..........

[Richprins]

Don't worry, they breed like rats!

[Lisbeth]

I am worried about the lions being moved around so much Lions are territorial.

[PJL]

I think that's part of the reasoning behind the original move of the males between the 3 parks Lis - at that stage there were cubs in both Addo and MZNP (not sure about Karoo) and so it was expected that the new males would probably assist in 'naturally' lowering the lion population in the parks through fights as well as killing any cubs that weren't theirs. That idea didn't work as all the cubs survived thankfully.

Part of the reasoning now for moving lion out of Addo seems to be because they are hitting the (prized/valuable) buffalo population quite hard - but that's simply because the buffs are in a relatively poor condition after a number of drought years. Hardly the lions fault

[Lisbeth]

The ways of Sanparks are mysterious

[Klipspringer]

Lion dynamics are somewhat inpredictible in these managed populations.


How many prides are there now in Addo main area?

[PJL]

Lion dynamics are somewhat inpredictible in these managed populations.


How many prides are there now in Addo main area?

The lion have never really moved in prides particularly Klipspringer. It's almost a feature of smaller parks with managed populations that the males form coalitions and are only really seen with the females from time to time. Sometimes the females are together - particularly mother/daughter relationships, but again that's not always the case. As a result, it was typical to find 2 or 3 lions together at a time.

[PJL]

So Addo is down to just 7 lions. Melvin & Gibson plus Norman & Zwaai are in transit right now to Tswalu in the Northern Cape.

Apparently the lions are killing too many buffalo. The park makes quite a lot of money from selling their disease-free buffs so it seems financial reasons are the biggest factor

I might have to make more trips out to MZNP as they have plenty of lion at the moment

[Klipspringer]

So the females are one pride only, you say.

[PJL]

So the females are one pride only, you say.

Well currently there are 4 females left in the main game area. 3 of them are often seen together (mother and 2 daughters). The other female is generally found with her brother or on her own.