The Lion residents of the Savute region seem to readjust just before the dry winter months set in, this is usually when the wet season comes to an end and the waterholes around Savute start drying up. The game viewing becomes more exciting; with new arrivals emerging in the area on a recurring basis. 
Throughout the last two weeks of May, a huge, black-maned male Lion made his first appearance in the area. He didn’t waste any time before finding himself a girlfriend, a young lioness that has been in the area for a while. The possibility of him becoming the new “main man” of the area is good, since the other two males (known as the Mababe Boys) are getting older.
He will have to challenge them soon in order to decide who will be in charge of the Southern Savute region for their sole use. Adult male lions are extremely territorial; therefore it is improbable that the new comer and the Mababe Boys will be content in the same area. Around the same time, one of the females around the Leopard Rock area made the decision to show off her four three month old cubs. As the game drive vehicle got closer to them, she steered the little ones into a line, crossing the road with her cubs in tow. As the cubs get older, she will slowly introduce them to the rest of her pride. 
The rest of the pride is seen on a regular basis, as they roam around the western side of the Savute Marsh. The other Lions of the old Savute pride are still strewn all over the area. There are regular tracks in the early morning. The area where they seem to focus on is dense Mopane veld; hence sightings are more difficult; from the tracks it appears that 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 often seen, however their roars at night can be heard throughout the camp. The Zebra migration that is more towards the Linyanti marsh is coming to an end, hence finding food is becoming more challenging for the Lions. With such an abundance of Lion in the area, it is anyone’s guess how long it will be before the old pride re-joins and yet again start hunting Elephant, the claim to fame of this pride.
These Prides are residents at: www.sunsafaris.com/savutesafarilodge.html
