Manyeleti Males (2008)

The Manyeleti Males were a coalition of two male lions found in the Northern Sabi Sands.

Adult years
Not much is known about the early years of the Manyeleti males, they arrived in the North of the Sabi Sands in July 2008 and were believed to have come from the Manyeleti Game Reserve. At the time of their arrival, they were believed to be around 4 years old and so were named the "young manyeleti males".

Over the next few months they were seen in the company of some of the Nkuhuma Pride lionesses, mating with one lioness known as Snaggletooth. The males also mated with and sired cubs with the lone Sandy Patch pride lioness, resulting in 3 cubs that unfortunately did not survive.

In early 2009, the males headed south towards the boundary of Nkorho and MalaMala. It was here that they clashed with the two eastern Mapogo Males. The two males were seen at Nkorho after the confrontation, one now sporting a severely injured hind leg.

Following this interaction the two males headed into the Kruger National Park before a sole male returned in March, it is believed the injured male died somewhere in the Kruger National Park.

The sole remaining Mayeleti male returned north and was again observed mating with the Nkuhuma lionesses, this however did not last long as in mid March the male was chased north into the Manyeleti Game Reserve by the two Mapogo males.

The remaining Manyeleti male loitered in the area for many years seemingly as a nomad, and was continuously sighted in the Sabi Sands up until 2013.

The last sighting of the remaining Manyeleti Male was in the Kruger National Park in August 2014.