The last encounters between Marvin, our local dominant male lion, and the coalition of two young males in the south have not gone well for Marvin.
He has retreated rather than fight and spends much more of his time in the far north of the park than he did. It seems the southern females are also extending their territory northwards under the protection of the two young males. They have been sighted much further north than ever before. We had just driven off after a good sighting of the southern females with their cubs in an area north of their traditional territory when we heard Marvin calling.
Curious as to what may happen, we rushed back to find the females – only to see them together with just one young male, the whole pride in a long line silently withdrawing to the south.
It is clear that the young males will not take on Marvin one-on-one and would rather retreat when they are on their own, probably a wise move. And it seems that Marvin knows this, and also knows when they are alone!
