LIONS AT MALAMALA GAME RESERVE

Family Felidae Mass ± 200 kg / ± 440 lbs Height ± 100 cm / ± 39 inches Walking speed 4 km/h / 2.4 mph Charging speed 80 km/h / 50 mph Potential longevity 20 years Gestation period 3.5 months

Mala Mala has presently eight prides of these cats which are the largest of the social carnivores. A pride consists of related females and cubs residing in a home range or territory, numbering from 2 to 30 individuals. The males are nomads that have gained custody of a pride through competition with other males. The opportunity to monopolise reproduction of a whole group of females will result in a new male to a territory killing the cubs of his predecessor.

The mane of the lion is used as protection and to increase their apparent size. Sometimes males will form a coalition, 2 or more males grouping together to defend a pride. Two groups of males preside over Mala Mala at present. The Split Rock Males comprise two brothers who are dominant in the north and central of Mala Mala. The Ridge Rocks Males in the South are two related lions who are the fathers of the cubs from the Windmill Pride.

Male lions are in their prime from 5 years old to 8 or 9 years of age and often a lion will only control a pride for two years before being ousted. When a new lion takes over the pride and he had killed the cubs from the previous male, the mother of the cubs will then come into oestrus. She may only fall pregnant after a few months to ensure that the new male does not desert. Pride females will often have their litters of 1 - 4 at the same time. The cubs are then reared communally. The cubs weigh only 1 - 2 kg at birth and are as helpless as kittens, opening their eyes after 3 - 11 days. After 4 - 8 weeks the mother will lead the cubs to nearby kills, although they are only weaned at 7 - 10 months. There is often a high cub mortality, especially if hunting is scarce.

Hunting is done communally, often using driving and ambushing techniques. They will eat up to 25% of their own body weight. Their principal diet at Mala Mala comprises the Impala, the most prolific of the region's antelope. The females have a mass of about 180 kg (400 lbs) and males 240 kg (580 lbs). Within a pride, competition among the members can result in the death of the smallest and weakest of cubs. This is due to the manner in which the strongest lions will eat first at a kill thus ensuring that the smaller cubs are deprived of food when the prey cannot satisfy the hunger of the larger pride members.

Current Lions of Mala Mala: Styx Pride Eyrefield Pride Selati Pride Split Rock Males Windmill Pride Skukuza Males Eyrefield Males Mlowathi Pride Emsagwen Lioness Rollercoaster Males Charleston Pride Lions no longer seen at MalaMala: West Street Males Golf Course Males Mlowathi Males Marthly Pride Ridge Rocks Males Clarendon Pride