A Northward Shift By The Gijima Male Lions – Londolozi Blog

Over the last few weeks, the Gijima Males have been appearing more frequently on Londolozi. For a long time, they stuck mostly to the southern parts of the Sabi Sand, but recently their movements have shifted. In a recent sighting, they were even seen as far north as the Sand River and around the Londolozi Camps. This is a significant step for them, and it has left many of us wondering whether these two males plan to establish themselves further north.

If that does happen, it could shake things up quite a bit.

At the moment, the Gijima Males are dominant over the Styx Pride, the Southern Pride and the Msuthlu Pride. These prides are usually found further south, but if the males start to spend more time here, there’s a good chance the prides will follow. Lion prides rely heavily on their males for protection, especially when they’ve got cubs, and we know that females will often adjust their movements to stay closer to those males. If that’s the case here, we might soon see more lions edging closer towards our southern boundary, trying to stay within reach of these males.

That alone would be a big change in our lion dynamics, but it doesn’t stop there. Just recently, one of the Gijima Males was seen mating with a Ntsevu Lioness. This adds a whole other layer to things. The Ntsevu Pride is well-established around the central and eastern parts of our reserve, and if the Gijimas try to push into that space, it could lead to some serious confrontations in the future. The question is, are they here to settle and take over, or are they just exploring before heading back south again?

Not too long ago, one of the Gijima males was mating with one of the Ntsevu lionesses. This could lead to some very interesting dynamics.

It’s still too early to know for sure, but the signs are pointing towards the Gijimas wanting more than just a temporary visit. If they do set up a territory here, Londolozi could soon play host not only to these impressive males but also to the Styx and Msuthlu Prides shifting their ranges. And if they continue to interact with the Kambula and Ntsevu Lionesses, then the lion story in this area could get very interesting very quickly.

The darker maned and bigger of the two brothers walks right down the road past the vehicle.

For now, all we can do is keep watching and listening. That’s the beauty of the bush – you never really know what’s going to happen next. The Gijima Males have already made their presence felt, and if their deep roars keep rolling across the Sand River, it might not be long before they become a permanent part of life here at Londolozi.