The Story Of: West Street Male Lions (Eyrefield males) *2004*

? West Street lion coalition ? 5 males
Big Cat Diary ?
Date: 2000-2004 / Location: Mala Mala, Sabi Sands, South Africa
...Eyrefield/Sparta Pride (Territory includes Mala Mala, Londolozi and surrounding areas). The Eyrefield/Sparta Pride in 1997/98 consisted of seven to eight lionesses that were taken over by five males known as the West Street/Sparta Males. They took over the pride after killing the Tsalala Pan resident males (may also be known as the Manyeleti Males). Londolozi reported that most of the litters born to the Eyrefield/Sparta pride the first 3 years did not survive.
By 2000, the pride consisted of 7 adult lionesses, two approximately 16 month old cubs (1 male, 1 female) and the five aging West Street Males. Of these two cubs, the male was lost sometime during May/June 2000 and the female survives to this day. During this same time, May/June 2000, another sub adult male lion approximately the same age as the missing young male, joined the Eyrefield Pride. Though he was not readily accepted by either the lionesses nor the dominant males, he was tolerated. Today, that same youngster is the dominant male of the infamous Mapogo Coalition.
Between 2000 and 2002, approximately 20 cubs were born with only eight that survived. Of these eight, 5 were males who eventually matured and joined the older unrelated Male to form the 6 male coalition known as Eyrefield/Sparta Males or the Mapogos. One of the female cubs is part of the current Eyrefield pride. Some of these surviving cubs were believed to be sired by the Roller Coaster (Rollercoaster)/Shaw Males. It was reported by Mala Mala that the Roller Coaster Males may have sired five cubs that were born in the latter part of 2001 when they lured some of the Eyrefield lionesses away from the aging West Street males. These cubs would include the two youngest of the Mapogo Coalition.
In 2003, two of the four Marthly/Split Rock/Robson males began their move to take over the Eyrefield/Sparta Pride. Some reports indicate that during these take over attempts, the Split Rocks allowed the two surviving old West Street males to remain while others tend to dispute that. The last West Street Male died in 2004 at approximately 14 yrs to 16 plus years of age.
Over the next couple of years, the pride was in turmoil with threats of take over by the Split Rock males. Some lionesses were seen mating with them while others separated from the pride to avoid them.
By 2006, the Split Rock males still had not fully taken control over the Eyrefield Pride and the 6 Eyrefield/Sparta aka Mapogo Males began to venture away from the pride...
Thanks for watching! ?

*This video is copyright of its original author
? source ... Kim Wolhuter ?