Join us in celebrating two lionesses who will be 12 years old this year! Nomvelo and Tegwane – highly skilled matriarchs who have fed the Ngamo pride and raised its cubs for more than seven years! That includes four consecutive pride males or male coalitions (in the photos Tegwane wears a collar fitted by Hwange Lion Research).
Nomvelo and Tegwane are cohort sisters (they may not have the same mum) born in 2012, daughters of the famous Cecil. They joined pride males Butch and Ngqwele at Ngamo in 2017. In 2020 Siphoko took over the pride and about a year later Lesang took over from Siphoko. We called this period ‘The Lion Wars’ – but Lesang was a superlion who survived solo until 2023. Now, the coalition of Mzilikazi and Lobengula rule the Ngamo plains. Throughout this period, Nomvelo and Tegwane have raised cubs just about every year, and sometimes had to hide them from victorious new males on the warpath – successfully on some occasions. Way to go, Ladies! The power behind the throne.
Understanding the Ngamo prides’ timeline
Males are underlined
JUL 2012 Nomvelo, Tegwane and Nandi were born – daughters of Cecil, they are sister cohorts not all sharing the same mother
NOV 2014 Lesang born at Ngweshla – son of Cecil
JUL 2015 Cecil famously killed in Gwayi Forest
MAR 2017 First sighting of Nomvelo in Ngamo
Ngqwele & Butch coalition are in control of Ngamo pride
JUN 2017 Cubs (8) born
AUG 2017 Tegwane and Nandi join Nomvelo, forming a highly successful coalition
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- Meet Nomvelo and her favourite cub – Aug 2017
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- Camelthorn – Nomvelo on the left and Butch
JAN 2018 Cubs born to Tegwane
AUG 2018 Butch injured with serious head trauma
DEC 2018 Butch honeymooning Nandi
MAY 2019 Cubs (3) born to Nandi
Butch is killed by train or buffalo
Supermoms Nandi & Nomvelo, their boys Blondie and brothers born 2017 plus two sets of cubs born 2019
AUG 2019 We meet Thandeka (“Beloved”) – daughter of Nomvelo or Tegwane
Ngqwele fights and kills Zandhile
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- Thandeka and her cubs
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- Nomvelo with cauliflower right ear and her most recent cubs born 2019
NOV 2019 Ngqwele fights Siphoko (“The Ghost”) born 2015 son of Jericho, partner of Cecil; Ngqwele honeymooning Tegwane
2020 ‘LION WARS’
Siphoko defeats Ngqwele (who reigned at least 4 years – 2 with Butch).
Pride splits, Nomvelo departs, leaving Tegwane and Thandeka as senior lionesses of Ngamo pride; Siphoko honeymooning Tegwane
MID 2020 Lesang in coalition with 3 younger lions – The Baggage Handlers – defeat Siphoko (who reigned approx. 1 year)
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- The Baggage Handlers morning patrol on the Bomani concession
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- The Baggage Handler coalition with a wildebeest kill
JAN 2021 Lesang honeymooning Tegwane
Nomvelo rejoins Tegwane and Thandeka in the Ngamo pride
A strong alliance between Lesang and Tegwane appears hard won looking at Lesang’s face
THROUGH 2021 Cubs born, 3 each, to Tegwane, Thandeka and Nomvelo
Tegwane and two of her new cubs just after sunrise
Lesang with Thandeka and Nandi and some of his cubs
SEP 2021 Lesang honeymooning Nomvelo
APR 2022 Lesang honeymooning Nomvelo
Nomvelo and her 3 new cubs on the Bomani concession April 2022
LATE 2022 Lesang is injured – possibly by a buffalo
EARLY 2023 Mzilikazi & Lobengula defeat Lesang (who reigned approx. 3 years)
MID-2023 Nomvelo honeymoons Mzilikazi then Lobengula – probably false (polyamorous) oestrous to distract new males from her cubs which were fathered by Lesang
OCT 2023 Photo opp of 8 cubs
JAN 2024 Festive season photo opp with the doctors from the Smile and See Safari 2023 featuring Mzilikazi, Nomvelo and Tegwane
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