BIRMINGHAM BOYS - Knighthood From Djuma | LIONS OF AFRICA № 27

Lions of Africa: Birmingham Boys (Gowrie) Lions - 5 males (2010 - 2021)*

...Little is known locally of their origin but there were six of them in the beginning and they came from a property known as Birmingham in the Timbavati; a conglomerate of privately owned concessions bordering the Kruger National Park’s western boundary. By the time they were first seen in the North-eastern corner of the Sabi Sand Reserve they were down to five. Apparently one had been killed in a dispute with older, more experienced lions and they were on the run.
The 3 old Birmingham males dominated Ngala for a number of years and they have fathered numerous cubs in and around Ngala, including the 5 Birmingham males of Sabi Sands. Back in October 2013, these males were reported by Tintswalo Safari Lodge as being part of a large pride of lions, called Birmingham or Orpen pride. They consisted of 22 Lions, of which were several young males, and are related to the Koppies and Mbiri females. Born around 2010/11 they originally came into the Sabi Sands in 2014, where they proceeded to send the Matimba males packing to the south and Jr. of the Nkuhuma Pride was forced to move out on his own.
In October 2016 WildEarth along with the reserve decided to name these five brothers:
BBoy #1: Nsuku (Formerly known as Blondie) Meaning: ‘gold’ – due to his blonde and golden mane. He died October 2019 after a long battle to recover from injuries to his back hip.
BBoy #2: Nhenha (Formerly known as #2) Meaning: ‘ Warrior’ – he was one of the front runners when Birminghams came in for takeover.
BBoy #3: Tinyo (Formerly known as Mo) Meaning: ‘Tooth’ – His canine is visible through his split lip scar.
BBoy #4: Mfumo (Formerly known as Samson) Meaning: “authority” / “to rule” – he is the biggest and the one we see most regularly. He disappeared around May 2018 in the Londolozi/Kruger area.
BBoy #5: Tokoloshe (Formerly known as Scrapper) Meaning that he was said to be like a boogyman. Tokoloshe was found dead on Buffelshoek property on April 24, 2016. He had been separated from the rest of the coalition for a few days and was not looking in the best of condition. It is presumed that he died from injuries of a punctured lung from a run in with a buffalo.
Territory had become a priority for the Birmingham males and – like the Majingilane and Mapogo coalitions before them – they made an entrance. The catalyst, sadly, was a new killed white rhino bull that had died of his wounds in a territorial fight: Driving into a Combretum thicket peppered with vultures and full bellied hyaena, hot on the trail of lion tracks, is usually as exciting as it gets on an early morning drive but on that particular day, it was a bleak and desperate scene. Those who were there saw two full grown male lions, one with a particularly dark and fulsome mane, casually gnawing on the two ton carcass. Not five minutes in, two other male lions of roughly the same size and age, charged in, almost catching them off guard. With a thumping battery of incessant growling, a fight ensued. The bush exploded as white-backed vultures erupted into the overcast sky and spotted hyaenas bolted for cover. Neither coalition backed down as they roared at each other from close quarters, all the while, marauding hyenas whooped for reinforcements. Suddenly, five other males appeared out of the long green grass some fifty meters away. They were equally spaced apart from each other, but all had their eyes wide open and fixed on the scene before them. Not a moment later, the cacophonous confusion was shattered as the Birmingham males, a volley of ferocious tooth and claw, rushed in on the scene. The original four males, self-preservation foremost in their minds, were in full retreat. As the drama shifted elsewhere, the dying echo of roaring lions reverberated through the surrounding bush. Eventually the Birmingham males returned to the carcass one by one, alert, looking wildly about them as though still searching for the one responsible for the death of their sibling. Unhurriedly, they began to feed.
In 2017 the four brothers (Mfumo, Nsuku, Nhenha, & Tinyo, headed south where they again let the Matimbas know it was time to move. As far as we know it was not a violent overthrow. They settled into Londolozi and parts of MalaMala where they continue to reign as of June 2021. They are aging and it is not known when or who will unseat these wonderful males. The same message that was once carried by the Majingilane and the Mapogo before them, one that proclaimed absolute dominance over everything and all.

*All vids & pics are copyright of its original authors (rangers, field guides, photographers, tourists): A big thank you for the great effort and sharing these exciting moments with all of us!

Видео BIRMINGHAM BOYS - Knighthood From Djuma | LIONS OF AFRICA № 27 канала THE MAPOGOS - Lions of Sabi Sand