Savute Safari Lodge - Lion Update

As the wet season comes to an end and the waterholes around Savute dry up, the Lion population of the Savute area appears to readjust itself before the cold, dry months set in. The sightings become more exciting, with new arrivals appearing in the area on a regular basis.

During the last two weeks of May, a very large, black maned male Lion has made his first appearance in the area. It was not long before he acquired himself a girlfriend, a young lioness that has been in the area for a while. He has a good chance of becoming the new “main man” of the area, as the other two males (known as the Mababe Boys) are getting on a bit in age. Soon he will have to confront them to decide who will get the Southern Savute area for their exclusive use. As adult males are very territorial, it is highly unlikely that the new comer and the Mababe Boys will share the same area.

At the same time one of the females around the Leopard Rock area has decided to bring her four three month old cubs out of hiding. As the game drive vehicle approached, she guided the young ones into a line, crossing the road with her babies in tow. As the cubs grow older, she will gradually introduce them to the other three females and one male that make up her pride. The rest of this group is seen regularly as they move around the western side of the Savute Marsh.

The other Lions of the old Savute pride are still scattered all over the area. We regularly come across their tracks in the early morning. The area where they concentrate is dense Mopane veld, therefore making sightings difficult. From the tracks it seems like another big male, known as Scarface, has joined up with two females and two cubs with them. Their territory is in the northern part of the Savute area and close to the airstrip. They are not very often seen, but their roars at night can be heard throughout the camp. The Zebra migration towards the Linyanti marsh is coming to an end, making it more and more difficult for the Lions to find food.
With so many Lion in the area, it is anyones guess how long it will be before the old pride comes together and once again start hunting Elephant, the behaviour that made this pride famous.

Lions drinking in front of Savute Safari Lodge.

Savuti Lion Update supplied by Kobus - Savute Safari Lodge Manager