Majingilane Male Lions

Majingilane Male Lions aka Manyeleti Males in Mala Mala

Information/background has been gathered from various sites (Mala Mala, Londolozi, Djuma, Savanna, Nkorho, Elephant Plains, Singita, Exeter, Arathusa, Ulusaba, Inyati, Wildwatch, Idube, Leopard Hills, Simbambili) and their sightings databases along with helpful Rangers and staff at the various lodges and reserves answering questions sent their way.

Named by Greg Posthumes from the Djuma Bush Lodge. Majingilane means security or marching on the line.

Estimated age as of July 2010 is four to five years.

First seen in the Djuma area during the latter part of 2009. Some reports of there being six. First thought to be the three Nkuhuma sub adult males and the three Windmill young males. That was later found to not be so even though a Nkuhuma young male was reported to have joined them in the Djuma area in May but later they were seen chasing the same young male and other members of the Nkuhuma pride all the way to the Manyeleti border to the North.

The Majingilane coalition is thought to have come into the area from either Kruger National Park or Manyeleti. Manyeleti has a coalition of five young males that were accompanied by their mother until early in 2010 when she was injured by a buffalo and presumed to have died. Their descriptions match that of the Majingilane males but it has yet to be determined exactly who they are or where they come.

Being young males, they traveled the area in silence. Usually staying off the roadways and not roaring to alert other lions in the area to their existence. They frequent MalaMala, Torchwood, Chitwa, and Nkorho areas as well as Djuma.

They were 5 strong on June 8th 2010 when one of the young coalition member was killed by two Mapogo/Mlowathi Males, Kinky Tail & Mr T. Later that evening, they got their revenge by killing Kinky Tail, injuring and sending Mr T on the run.

GRAPHIC Videos of Kinky Tail and Mr T attacking and mortally wounded one of the young males of the Majingilane Coalition on the morning of June 8th 2010.

Two male lions attack and kill another male lion - Video #1

Two male lions attack and kill another male lion - Video #2

Two male lions attack and kill another male lion - Video #3

Sounds of Lion War at Nkorho on June 8th when Kinky Tail was killed:

Death of a Mapogo - Kinky Tail - 06/08/10 -pt 1

Death of a Mapogo - Kinky Tail - 06/08/10 -pt 2

Death of a Mapogo - Kinky Tail - 06/08/10 -pt 3

Death of a Mapogo - Kinky Tail - 06/08/10 -pt 4

Since then, they have found a new confidence. They tracked Mr T to Londolozi where he was with the Tsalala pride on June 28th/29th. The four Majingilane males launched an attack that scattered the three adult Tsalala lionesses along with their eight youngsters. Two of the youngsters were killed.

Mr T was slightly injured and ran West to join up with his four coalition brothers. For the first time in a very long time, the surviving Mapogo males came East and were seen in the Marthly area of Londolozi on July 5th roaring loudly as if to reclaim the territory. They eventually headed back into the Western sector. Had they come in search of the Majingilane males?

Again a few days later, the five Mapogo males were seen heading back East towards North Central Sabi Sand. They seem to be on a mission to meet up with the Majingilane males.

Is this new young male coalition strong enough and confident enough to take on the five seasoned Mapogo males? Only time will tell.

Update thru Oct 2010: It seems they were Strong & Confident enough!

During the very early hours of July 9th, sounds of male lions fighting were heard on the Elephant Plains live cam. The sounds were almost deafening and sounded much like the night at Nkorho when Kinky Tail was killed. No lions were seen and by the am the lions had moved off into Robson. The only signs of a fight were a bloody patch and hair tuffs.

The Western sector had last seen the 5 Mapogo males moving towards the North Central Sabi Sand and then later in the morning of the 9th, only 3 reappeared, Mr T, Makulu the oldest and one other.

Reports of the Majingilane males emerging from the Robson area a day or so later seemed to indicate they had been the lions fighting with the Mapogo males at Elephant Plains.

Sounds of the lions at Elephant Plains July 9th, 2010. Fight?:

Lion Sounds at Elephant Plains - 07/09/10 - Pt 1

Lion Sounds at Elephant Plains - 07/09/10 - Pt 2

Lion Sounds at Elephant Plains - 07/09/10 - Pt 3

UPDATE after the Fight Sounds at Elephant Plains, July 9th 2010. Later in July, one of the missing Mapogo twin brothers reappeared in the Western Sector. He's is the one some know as T2 or Pretty Boy. He was recovering from severe injuries which seemed to include a bent spine. Sadly, his brother (aka Red, Leonides, Rasta/Dreadlocks) never reappeared and it can only be assumed he did not survive the fight. The Majingilanes emerged fairly unscathed by the encounter.

Since then, the Majingilanes have been claiming territory and attempting to take over prides such as the Styx and Tsalala prides. They are not only responsible for the deaths of 2 of the Tsalala youngsters but the death of at least one sub adult female of the Styx pride as well. On July 23, 2010, a Majingilane male was found close by the remains of a Styx sub adult female. She had been cannibalized. Also, it is believed they are responsible for the disappearance and presumed death of an adult Styx lioness who went missing after an attack by two Majingilanes in Mala Mala several months back.

Though they have reportedly killed several lions, both young and old, they also have been known to share kills with the Styx pride including the young male as well as allowing the Golf Course male to feed on occasions.

The remaining Styx females seem to have accepted the Majingilane males and have been reported mating with them on a number of occasions. The Tsalala lionesses have also been mating with them in an attempt to keep them away from their 5 surviving youngsters (Update: The Tsalalas have 6 surviving youngsters with the reappearance of the sub female thought to have been killed by the Hyenas in October).

Update: Things change so fast in the bush. On November 4th, 2010, two Majingilane males came upon two adult Tsalala lionesses (the Sisters) along with the sub adult male and the little half tail sub adult that had miraculously survived the previous months attack by Hyenas. This occurred at a dam in Arathusa. The two Majingilanes killed the last surviving sub adult male of the Tsalala pride and then set off to track down the fleeing half tail sub female.

You can read more about this encounter from Simbambili here: Leopard Diaries 1st - 8th November 2010

Very GRAPHIC video of the Majingilane males killing the sub adult male from the Tsalala pride.



On Nov 12th, 2010, Londolozi reported finding the Half Tail sub adult female dead near a Giraffe carcass that the four Majingilane males were on. It was apparent that the males had killed her.   The Golf Course male was also found dead several days prior to this.   It seems he could no longer fend for himself with his disabilities, the beatings he took from the Majingilanes while trying to encroach their kills, and the strong possibility he may have had Bovine Tuberculosis. 

BB, the tailless older adult lioness, has been seen since this incident along with the surviving four cubs of the pride.   Let's hope she can stay one step ahead of these males and keep those youngsters alive.

December 2010 - Reports are coming in that the two younger adult Tsalala females look to be heavily pregnant.   Reports also that some of the adult Styx females appear pregnant as well.   The Majingilane males would be the sire to these cubs.

Again, only time will tell how these young males fair in the battle to claim territory, females and the daunting task of protecting their offspring.   If they can retain their territory for several years, the soon to be born cubs may have a good chance at survival.

Update December 22nd 2010 -  On Dec 20th, two of the three young cubs of the Eyrefield/Sparta pride were found dead in Londolozi.  At least one Majingilane male was involved in the attack.  Since the attack, one adult lioness, the surviving young cub and one sub adult male were reported seen in Londolozi the following day.   On Dec 22nd, MalaMala reported seeing three of the four Eyrefield/Sparta sub adult females.  It is unclear how many members of the Eyrefield/Sparta pride were involved in this attack by Majingilane Male(s).  The pride seems to be scattered with six members still unaccounted for.  They are two adult lionesses, 1 sub female, 2 sub males and Solo the young Tsalala/Marthly male.   The four Majingilane Males were back on MalaMala by December 22nd.

Fan Page Majingilane Male Lions

December 2010

Colleen (Aquila) and Karen