It has been confirmed that one of the old Ross Pride lionesses has succumb to her ripe age and old injuries that left her battered and fighting to survive in the harsh world of lions in the wild. You’ll remember her from her brave attack on a honey badger – footage that was both breath-taking and traumatic.
A few months ago, she unexpectedly joined the Ross Breakaway lionesses and a Trilogy male during the night, while they were working on a meal of buffalo. She was fierce and determined, feeding alongside the dominant male lion, while the 2 other lionesses behaved submissively. She was bedraggled, skinny, and limping. It was unusual for us to see this third lioness join our ‘usual two’, but it was clear why she had joined them – she was in poor condition and probably unable to kill for herself, and in her fight for survival she intruded on another lion’s kill.
She proved her ferocity when she battled a honey badger as Africa on Foot and nThambo guests looked on. A kill that took her almost half an hour! Most recently she was feeding once again alongside 2 of the Trilogy males, behaviour which elicited severe warnings from both male lions, but again, she stood her ground.
In the time since then, this old Ross Pride lioness must have had a tough time sustaining herself, and a constant loss of strength left her in her poorest condition yet. Finally, mercifully, she gave up. Imagine what a force she must have been in her prime!
Diane Miller