Phyre <strong>African</strong> <strong>Lion</strong> & <strong>Environmental</strong> <strong>Research</strong> <strong>Trust</strong> 20
On <strong>the</strong> third of October, it was meal time aga<strong>in</strong> and <strong>the</strong> first lions sighted that day were Ashanti and Phyre, who were rest<strong>in</strong>g on Boundary Road near High Street North, and were shortly jo<strong>in</strong>ed by Narnia Kwali and Nala were slumped a little fur<strong>the</strong>r away, but <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>rs were all somewhere out of sight. Ashanti was <strong>the</strong> first to give <strong>the</strong> game away sport<strong>in</strong>g blood on her neck. Phyre’s stomach lent fur<strong>the</strong>r weight to <strong>the</strong> idea that ano<strong>the</strong>r kill had been made. About 50 metres fur<strong>the</strong>r down Milo and A<strong>the</strong>na were feed<strong>in</strong>g on <strong>the</strong> rema<strong>in</strong>s of a wildebeest while Kenge and Narnia rested <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> grass. There wasn’t much left of <strong>the</strong> carcass but what <strong>the</strong>re was Milo was jealously guard<strong>in</strong>g. Kwali greeted several members of <strong>the</strong> pride and led a move along High Street North towards Spaghetti Junction, one by one all <strong>the</strong> females followed – Milo however was too preoccupied with <strong>the</strong> former wildebeest. Once at <strong>the</strong> junction, <strong>the</strong>y cut across <strong>the</strong> tall grass and made <strong>the</strong>ir way to waterhole two, where after dr<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>y all flopped down <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> shade for <strong>the</strong> morn<strong>in</strong>g. It wasn’t until a few hours later when noth<strong>in</strong>g of <strong>the</strong> wildebeest rema<strong>in</strong>ed that Milo jo<strong>in</strong>ed his ladies at <strong>the</strong> waterhole. By late afternoon <strong>the</strong>y were still <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> same spot and still sleep<strong>in</strong>g off last night’s meal by <strong>the</strong> waterhole; although Milo and A<strong>the</strong>na did mate on several occasions. After one particular mat<strong>in</strong>g and Milo had moved a couple of metres away from A<strong>the</strong>na, Phyre decided to try her luck aga<strong>in</strong>. Over <strong>the</strong> previous three days she had repeatedly run up to him, greeted him and tried to present herself; but on each occasion was ei<strong>the</strong>r met by aggression or utter <strong>in</strong>difference. But this time, Milo at last accepted her <strong>in</strong>vitation and mated with her, and cont<strong>in</strong>ued to alternate between A<strong>the</strong>na and Phyre. If Ashanti, A<strong>the</strong>na and Phyre have <strong>in</strong>deed conceived, and should <strong>the</strong>ir litters survive (<strong>the</strong>se will be <strong>the</strong> first litters for all three), <strong>the</strong> cubs <strong>the</strong>y give birth to will be <strong>the</strong> first lions which, when old enough, will be eligible for release <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> wild hav<strong>in</strong>g been raised by <strong>the</strong> pride ra<strong>the</strong>r than human hand. But <strong>the</strong>re’s still a long way to go as yet. By <strong>the</strong> next morn<strong>in</strong>g, <strong>the</strong> entire pride had relocated back to Milo’s favourite anthill on Sou<strong>the</strong>rn Cross. There was very little to report over <strong>the</strong> course of <strong>the</strong> day; just a lot of relax<strong>in</strong>g and relocat<strong>in</strong>g to different patches of shade throughout <strong>the</strong> course of <strong>the</strong> day. The next morn<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>y were still <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> same location, Milo was still giv<strong>in</strong>g A<strong>the</strong>na and Phyre some extra attention, but all seemed pretty calm. It was however noted that both Kenge and Nala had blood on <strong>the</strong>ir coats. Their stomachs didn’t look any fuller than <strong>the</strong> previous even<strong>in</strong>g, and no one else looked to have been fed. A count of <strong>the</strong> wildebeest and zebra later that morn<strong>in</strong>g confirmed that all were present and accounted for. Perhaps <strong>the</strong> pair had picked off a young impala or one of <strong>the</strong> steenbok <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> site. In <strong>the</strong> first month s<strong>in</strong>ce release, we have seen <strong>the</strong> female elements of <strong>the</strong> pride revive <strong>the</strong> hunt<strong>in</strong>g prowess that served <strong>the</strong>m so well dur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>ir previous release <strong>in</strong> 2008. The new female addition to <strong>the</strong> pride, Kwali, has settled <strong>in</strong> well, although <strong>the</strong>re have been a few social issues <strong>in</strong>volv<strong>in</strong>g her as she tries to f<strong>in</strong>d her place with<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> group. These will cont<strong>in</strong>ue to be monitored over <strong>the</strong> com<strong>in</strong>g weeks and months. And of course <strong>the</strong>re’s Milo. After miss<strong>in</strong>g his first few meals courtesy of his pride, he’s made up for lost time s<strong>in</strong>ce. As one of <strong>the</strong> first lions to be born <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> Rehabilitation & Release <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> Wild program, it seems fitt<strong>in</strong>g that his offspr<strong>in</strong>g will be <strong>the</strong> first to head out <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> wild. <strong>African</strong> <strong>Lion</strong> & <strong>Environmental</strong> <strong>Research</strong> <strong>Trust</strong> 21
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