Ever wonder about the pride of lions the famed Mapogo Coalition came from? It was the Eyrefield/Sparta Pride. You may remember reading about them in the last blog on the Roller Coaster/Rollercoaster Males.
Information/background on The Eyrefield/Sparta Pride has been gathered from various sites (Mala Mala, Londolozi, Djuma, Savanna, Nkorho, Elephant Plains, Singita, Exeter, Arathusa, Ulusaba, Inyati, Wildwatch, Idube, Leopard Hills, Simbambili) and their sightings databases along with helpful Rangers and staff at the various lodges and reserves answering questions sent their way.
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. During this same time period, two of the Roller Coaster Males began their attempt to take over the pride and one young Eyrefield lioness along with her two cubs went missing. Possibly killed by the Roller Coaster Males. One of the old lionesses died from natural causes/old age. Thus by the end of 2006, the pride now consisted of four adult lionesses and the two Roller Coaster Males. The first cubs sired by the Roller Coaster Males did not survive.
Another one of the younger adult lionesses disappeared around April/May 2007 leaving an old lioness of 13 yrs. 1 mo, an adult lioness 8 yrs 7 mos, the surviving sibling (female) to the missing lioness age 5 yrs 8 mos. Between the months of May through July 2007, 10 cubs were born with nine surviving. In June 2007, one of the Roller Coaster Males sadly was killed by a crocodile.
October 2007, one of the nine cubs went missing from the pride for 8 days. The Eyrefields had ventured into a scheduled burn area. The pride escaped the fire but were missing one cub. The young cub was viewed for six days on it’s own and it was another two days before the pride finally located it. The cub quickly flourished once back within the safety of the pride.
December 2007, the nine surviving cubs now range in age from 5 months (4 cubs), 7 months (1 cub) and 7 months 2 weeks (4 cubs).

The pride remained relatively stable for all of 2008. The old Roller Coaster Male splitting his time between them and the Styx Pride. Their nine cubs grew bigger and stronger with each passing month. The cubs consisted of 5 males and 4 females ranging in age between 17 months and 19 months 2 weeks by December 2008.
January 2009, this pride was joined by the young (approximately 3 ½ yrs old) Tsalala/Marthly male known as “Solo”. It took several months, but eventually he was accepted into the pride by both the lionesses, the nine cubs and even the old Roller Coaster Male.
A dramatic turn of events disrupted their fairly peaceful existence. The Mapogo/Eyrefield Males began moving back into the area of which they were born and the pride they originated from now became their target.
April 2009, the old Roller Coaster Male was ousted as the dominant male of both the Eyrefield Pride and the Styx Pride. The prides fled with their cubs in an effort to keep them safe.

等大神翻译。

感觉看了个寂寞

主楼
有没有想过著名的马坡戈联盟来自狮子的骄傲？这是艾尔菲尔德/斯巴达的骄傲。你可能记得在上一篇关于过山车/过山车男性的博客中读到过关于它们的内容。
已从各个地点（马拉马拉、隆多洛齐、朱马、热带草原、恩科霍、大象平原、辛基塔、埃克塞特、阿拉图萨、乌卢萨巴、因尼亚蒂、野生观察、伊多拜、豹子山、辛巴姆比利）及其目击数据库收集了关于艾尔菲尔德/斯巴达骄傲的信息/背景，并在各个旅舍和保护区收集了有用的流浪者和工作人员，回答了他们的问题。
艾尔菲尔德/斯巴达骄傲
领土包括马拉马拉、隆多洛齐和周边地区。

4楼
在接下来的几年里，这种自豪感在分裂岩石男性接管的威胁下变得混乱起来。有人看到一些母狮与它们交配，而另一些母狮则为了躲避它们而与它们分开。
到2006年，分裂岩男性还没有完全控制艾尔菲尔德骄傲，6名艾尔菲尔德/斯巴达（又名马坡戈男性）开始冒险远离骄傲。在同一时期，两只过山车公狮开始试图夺取荣誉，一只年轻的艾尔菲尔德母狮和她的两个幼崽失踪了。可能被过山车男子杀害。其中一只年老的母狮死于自然原因/老年。因此，到2006年底，这只骄傲的母狮现在由四只成年母狮和两只过山车公狮组成。过山车雄性繁殖的第一批幼崽没有存活下来。
另一只较年轻的成年母狮于2007年4月/5月失踪，留下一只13岁1个月的老母狮，一只8岁7个月的成年母鹿，幸存的兄弟姐妹（雌性 ）5岁8个月的失踪母狮。从2007年5月到7月，共有10只幼崽出生，其中9只幸存。2007年6月，一名过山车男子不幸被鳄鱼咬死。
2007年10月，九只幼崽中的一只在比赛中失踪了8天。艾尔菲尔德夫妇冒险进入预定的燃烧区。这只骄傲的小熊逃过了大火，但却失去了一只幼崽。这只幼崽独自被观察了六天，又过了两天，骄傲终于找到了它。这只幼崽很快就在骄傲的安全地带繁荣昌盛起来。
2007年12月，9只幸存幼崽的年龄从5个月（4只）、7个月（1只）和7个月2周（4只幼崽）不等。

2008年全年，这种自豪感相对稳定。老过山车男在他们和冥河骄傲之间消磨时间。他们的九只幼崽每个月都在变大变壮。到2008年12月，幼崽由5只雄性和4只雌性组成，年龄在17个月到19个月之间，2周。
2009年1月，年轻人（约3.5岁）Tsalala/Marthly加入了这一行列，他们被称为“Solo”。这花了几个月的时间，但最终他被母狮、九只幼崽甚至老过山车公狮都接受了。
一个戏剧性的事件改变了他们平静的生活。马坡戈/艾尔菲尔德男性开始搬回他们出生的地区，他们的自豪感现在成为了他们的目标。
2009年4月，这位年老的过山车男子被驱逐，成为艾菲尔菲尔德骄傲和冥河骄傲中的主导男性。骄傲者带着幼崽逃走，以确保他们的安全。

显然，这位年老的过山车男子与“艾尔菲尔德骄傲”重新团聚，并与他们一起逃到了Londolozi和周围地区。
2009年4月8日，有报道称马拉马拉西部发生了战斗。两只母狮带着六只幼崽逃到了安全的地方，但包括年轻的Tsalala Male在内的其他狮群遭到了Mapogos/Eyrefield Males的袭击。在这场战斗后，一只亚成年幼崽失踪，据推测已死亡。最终，其余的骄傲再次重聚。
2009年4月28日–又一次与Mapogo/Eyrefield Males的比赛。在马拉马拉的上午，可以看到三只母狮、五只亚成年幼崽和一只年老的过山车雄性。据报道，一名亚成年男性在前几晚的袭击中死亡。失踪的是年轻的Tsalala Male和两个亚成年幼崽。
第二天（第29天），年轻的Tsalala Male和两个失踪的Eyrefield亚成年幼崽被安置在更南的地方，仍然与他们的其他骄傲分开。

May 2nd found the two Eyrefield sub adult cubs all alone in approximately the same area as before but the young Tsalala Male was no longer with them.
May 7th, The young Tsalala Male, the Roller Coaster Male and six sub adult cubs were seen but missing this time were the three lionesses and one female sub adult cub.
Thankfully, the next day they reportedly had all reunited.
Andrew at Mala Mala shared that after May 10th the pride moved into Londolozi. At that time the pride consisted of the three adult lionesses, seven sub adult cubs (3 males and 4 females), the young Tsalala Male, and the old Roller Coaster Male.
June 3rd & 4th 2009, The pride was seen in Mala Mala on an adult male giraffe kill. Apparently, this large of a kill was possible due to the pride having the Tsalala male (approx 4 yrs old now) and the Roller Coaster male in attendance.

June 10th 2009 – The pride was again viewed in Mala Mala and the Rangers reported all were accounted for with the exception of the old Roller Coaster Male.
June 12th – 26th sightings by Ulusaba – Though no specific date was given, the entire Eyrefield Pride was said to be in Ulusaba. Smack in the middle of Mapogo and the Ximungwe Pride’s territory. Ulusaba listed the count for the pride as 12 which included one Male lion. Assuming the count was correct, the Roller Coast male and the young Tsalala male should both have been in attendance. The pride was hunting Kudu but without success. At least six of the youngsters decided to take on a Honey Badger but the Honey Badger held it’s ground and after emitting a foul odor managed to escape.
June 24th 2009 – The entire Eyrefield Pride, with the exception of the Roller Coaster male, were found near Lion Loop in Mala Mala resting up. As dusk approached they got active. Heading towards the Sand River they came across a Buffalo Herd that was just leaving the river area. The lions took the opportunity to follow the herd across the Sand River. They closed the gap on some stragglers but soon were noticed by the herd’s rear guard bulls. Three large bulls turned to face off with the lions. For quite some time the pride played cat and mouse with the bulls and began to slowly wear them down. Luckily, the bulls caught on to the lions strategy and returned to the safety of the herd. With the herd now tightly grouped the lions could not penetrate them. Finally they charged the herd sending them stampeding in the hopes of some stragglers they could take down but this did not play out for them. The pride finally gave up and rested.
The next day, 25th, the pride was again located and were looking lean. By mid day they moved out of the Mala Mala viewing area.