Tubu Tree Threesome they Roaring for Reason

Tubu Tree’s Threesome – Update

25 Nov 2009

Sighting: Update on Tubu’s lion threesome

Location: Tubu Tree Camp, Jao Concession, Botswana

Date:   November 2009

Observers: Justin Stevens & Jackie Collett

Photos:  Herve and Sylvie Deret

With summer in full force, the question is hanging in the air whether or not the Tubu Threesome – a coalition of three male lion – would remain at Hunda Island.

All seems good so far, as the threesome has been spotted together on numerous occasions over the past couple of months.
One night, 36 hours after the last sighting, Hunda was in a frenzy as the roar of lion echoed across the island. The morning came and the roaring continued – to the extent that the guests, eager to see what all the commotion was about, decided to skip breakfast. Soon after they left camp they came across two of the males with the third nowhere to be seen. The roaring was coming from them – obviously calling for the third, but getting no answer.

Eventually the lions gave up calling and lay down to sleep off the midday heat. Later that day the guides came across some vultures in trees and drove their guests in for a closer look at what turned out to be a half-eaten buffalo carcass. Suddenly, through the long grass, they noticed the third lion lying in the shade and watching his kill. He had separated from the others and brought down a buffalo all on his own – and now he was enjoying his solitary meal.

The other two kept calling for a couple of days. They were constantly on the move and caught on camera jumping over channels of water. Then there was silence. The roaring stopped and all three lion disappeared without a trace, leaving Tubu Tree Camp with unanswered questions: Would they team up together again? Would the one become more dominant and chase the others away? Had the separation forced them out of the area?

Everybody had to wait in anticipation. Finally a group of guests came upon the Tubu Threesome together walking on Ivory Road, looking very strong and healthy. The excitement didn’t stop there – as the guests were watching the three, they saw something charging through the tall grass. A very brave leopard had decided to challenge the lion! One of the lions stood his ground which resulted in a chase with the leopard finally disappearing and the Threesome coming close to Tubu for a relaxed evening sleep.
Special thanks to Herve and Sylvie Deret for providing us with these spectacular pictures!

These Sightings have been viewed in & around this area: Tubu Tree

Lion News from the Savute Channel

26 Jan 2010

Location:  Savuti Camp, Linyanti Concession, Botswana

Date:  20 December 2009

Observers: James Weis, Nicky Glover and Sefo Oganeditse

Guests recently visited Savuti Camp in northern Botswana and were lucky enough to spend an afternoon with a pride of lions that reside along the now-flowing Savute Channel.  This sighting demonstrates the dynamic nature of this region and specifically, some of the effects that the “new” water has on the animals living here.

The Savute Channel, which connects the Linyanti River on Botswana’s northern border with the Savute Marsh in the Chobe National Park some 60 kilometers away, only began filling with water again in 2008. Before that time, it last flowed from 1967 to 1981 and so until recently, the resident animals here only experienced this Channel as dry grassland.  However, this cycle of wet and dry is a phenomenon that has occurred on and off here over the centuries.

Guests sighted the Selinda Pride or the DumaTau Pride consisting of five adult lionesses and three young cubs, all of which belonged to one of the females, in the late afternoon – just when the light was turning to the gold hues that sets the tone for incredible wildlife images.

The pride had just begun to move again after waiting out the 90° F heat of the day and the group followed them, enjoying the playful antics of the little cubs, which were clearly anxious to start moving again after a long uneventful day.

The lionesses seemed hungry and the group was hoping for an opportunity to observe them hunting while keeping a safe distance in case they encountered impala or warthog. However, the lions never encountered anything to hunt, hence the group spent their time watching and photographing the cubs as the females walked through the bush and along the sand road leading to the Savute Channel a short distance away.

As the lions reached the main transit road, they turned toward the Savute Channel, which now covers this track in the sand for some 70 meters or so, with a small island in the middle.  The water in the Channel is now deep enough in many spots to sustain pods of hippo and a number of crocodile were spotted along the Channel.

On a past visit this particular group, since the arrival of the “new” water, saw lion, cheetah, wild dog, hyaena, zebra, impala, giraffe, ostrich, kudu and various other animals crossing the water of the Channel which is not an uncommon occurrence.
However, with the arrival of hippo and especially crocodile further and further down the Channel, it has now become far riskier for the animals that dare to swim across.

The lions stood on the bank of the Channel and drank from the fresh, clean water and the four lionesses without cubs gazed intently at the opposite bank.  These four seemed very keen to cross to the other side of the Channel.

The crossing in this location is not deep enough to force adult lions to swim a long distance, however for the small cubs, this would be a very strenuous swim and full of potential danger.

Guests watched in anticipation as the four other lionesses all waded into the Channel and the female with cubs followed a short way into the water as well, her cubs battling through the reeds and fighting to keep their heads above water as they tried valiantly to keep alongside of their mom.  Suddenly, one of the cubs slipped completely under the water and his mother had to quickly reach in to fish him out with her jaws.  The poor little guy looked like a wet rag as he dangled limply in his mother’s mouth.

It was now becoming a bit stressful to watch the unfolding drama everybody hoping that the mother would not force her cubs to follow the other lions, which had now begun crossing the Channel in earnest. A few tense moments passed as she called forlornly to her pride sisters and it was evident that she was torn between her desire to stay with her pride and her instincts to protect her cubs from danger.

As the four lionesses reached the far bank and shook off the water, the female with cubs continued to watch and call to them, but they strode off into the trees and out of sight.  Long moments passed and the light started to fade and her cubs were shivering in the shallow water.

Finally she made her decision: she turned around and led her cubs back to the dry and sandy road beside our vehicle. Everybody watching was very relieved and happy to see that she had made her decision and what seemed to be the “right” decision at the time. The cubs carried on playing with their mother happily as dusk turned to darkness.

The flowing Savute Channel has obviously changed the lives of all the animals that live in this area.  This pride of lions has its territory on both sides of what was once open grassland, but is now split by a flowing river.  The act of simply traversing across their territory now poses new and potentially life-altering dangers.

These Sightings have been viewed in the Savute Area near these Camp’s: Savuti Camp

Shinde Camp News as flood water arrives….

Even though the end of summer is in sight and the flood waters are arriving, One-Eye and the rest of the Shinde pride are permanently residing on the northern area of the concession. Four lionesses (new arrivals to the area) have been more and more successful in their hunting, often killing several times a day.

One such incident happened at the famous Killing Fields when a sounder of warthogs were grubbing peacefully early in the afternoon, completely unaware of the impending danger in the grass. The lionesses had killed a lechwe that morning and quickly closed in on the warthog. The lionesses pounced on a young warthog and when the mother attempted to rescue her offspring, the lionesses turned on her killing both female and young.

At some point during all the commotion, a male lion arrived with a definite goal on claiming his share of the feast. Initially he was fended off by the females; however he returned later forcing the females to give up their prey. Having lost their meal the females were again hunting less than an hour later.

These Sightings have been Viewed at: Shinde

Tsaro Pride doing well @ Duba Plains

The Tsaro Pride at Duba Plains is doing well and the guides estimate that the pride is left with at least four cubs. It’s hard to tell how many females have given birth as undoubtedly some have lost their litter. With young cubs the pride has split into small groups and lone females have followed the herd predating on abandoned calves and picking up after-birth. When the pride does join up, the focus is still on calves and over-protective mothers. Cubs have mostly been seen after a kill when the mother moves the cubs out of hiding to feed.

The Skimmer Male is still the only dominant male over the two resident prides, Skimmer and Tsaro, and as usual, just as the Duba Boys did, he has spent most of his time with the Tsaro Pride, probably because there is more food than in the Skimmer territory. The young Skimmer Male has also been seen in the area with Junior. This male has mated with some females from Tsaro, so some will be having cubs very soon. It is always an interesting interaction when the dominant Skimmer Male and the young male meet.

The Skimmer Pride continues to flourish although they still spend a lot of time in the west of their territory, which the game drive vehicles cannot access.

These Sighting have been viewed at Duba Plains

Lion on Lion interaction…..

Duba Plains, famed for endless lion and buffalo battles, produced phenomenal lion interaction with the introduction of a new male to the Tsaro females. With the fall of the famous Duba Boys last year, a new male has entered the fold and in the process of mating with the rather disjointed nine Tsaro females. Seven lions were seen trailing the buffalo herd when the new male showed up. He received a few warm greetings from two of the females who appeared to be lactating hidden cubs. The others were not as accommodating and then out of nowhere the male lion bolted into the middle of a group of these females who appeared to be defending one of the last remaining cubs of the Duba Males (interestingly the two-year-old sub-adult female). It was incredible to see a full grown male lion spring all fours off the ground to intimidate this young female and then chase her full tilt across the floodplain roaring incessantly trailed by some of the other females. No interaction was observed with the wily old buffalo here but this certainly was an incredible lion-on-lion interaction.

These sightings have been viewed at Duba Plains

New Beginning as one comes to an end…..

As reported last year the remaining Duba Boy died at the end of 2008, the details are not clear, however, the guides found his body. No name has been given for the new guy yet, however he seems quite settled as a few small cubs and two lactating females were found who seemed quite friendly with him. As for the rest of the pride, they are still getting used to him. No Coalition has been formed and the guides at Duba reckon this new male may be one of the Skimmer Pride males from 2002 litter, however they cannot say for sure. The Pantry Pride disintegrated over a year ago due to too many deaths from Buffalo attacks. Watch this space for more lion news….

These brillant sightings & more have been viewed at Duba Plains