Over the past week we are glad to report that two sets of lions have come together and started mating. Along the boundary of the Anabeb and Omatendeka conservancies, the dispersed male NPL-39 met up with the female NPL-34. On the night of 17 October, the pair killed a juvenile giraffe near Omukutu, which was photographed by the Lion Rangers and Rapid Response Team monitoring the area. During this same period the male XPL-143 made his way to the Hoaruseb, where he found the solitary lioness XPL-150.

This pairing of NPL-39 and NPL-34 represents potentially the foundation of a new line of lions in northwest Namibia. NPL-39 is a dispersed male originally from the Omirembue pride, inhabiting southern Ehi-rovipuka. He is the offspring of the female NPL-38, who has since given birth to an additional two cubs in early 2023, and the deceased male NPL-33, who was killed following human-lion conflict in Anabeb Conservancy in April, 2023. In April of this year, NPL-39 was collared by the Namibian Lion Trust and Lion Rangers near the Ombonde River. This was particularly timely as he dispersed from his natal pride no less than a month later. Initially he found his way into northern Etosha National Park near the Dolomite Point area. During this time our research team monitored him there, though he appears to have remained alone. At the time there was concern that other male lions in Etosha, particularly the Renostervlei pride, would not tolerate this single young male in the area. Luckily he departed the park. Following intensive monitoring by the Lion Rangers and Rapid Response Teams, NPL-39 made his way further west.

Here he found NPL-34, who until recently had been primarily residing with her sons, the remainder of the Southern Anabeb Pride, NPL-35, NPL-36, and NPL-37, who were (re)collared by the Lion Rangers and MEFT earlier this year. Likely sired by the male OPL-2, these three young males, estimated from 4-5 years of age, had been staying with their mother beyond the age when males in other areas usually disperse. However, throughout mid-2024 they began spending greater periods separated from their mother, who was often departing the males to fend for themselves – striking out on her own. This was the second time she came into solo contact with NPL-39. While the first meeting appears to have been quite tentative, over the past week-plus the pair has become inseparable. Hopefully this will lead to a group of new cubs early next year.

Further north in Puros Conservancy, the lioness XPL-150 has been solitary for the past three years. Primarily occupying the Hoaruseb, she has been without a male consort. However, this past week, the young male XPL-143, made his way to the Hoaruseb for the first time. Originally part of the Hoanib Pride, and collared by Desert Lion Conservation in June 2022, XPL-143 has been alone since his two female companions were killed following human-lion conflict earlier this year. On his own in largely unfriendly territory, XPL-143 was ranging into the mountains of the Otjikandavirongo Conservancy, where other lions have been killed in recent years. With this in mind the Sesfontein and Puros Lion Rangers, headed by Western Patrol Leader Steven Kasaona, were deployed to the area on an ongoing basis to monitor XPL-143. Even in this rugged terrain the Lion Rangers were able to keep XPL-143 largely out of trouble, until he dispersed down the Hoaruseb River on his own. By 16 October he and XPL-150 were seen together in the reeds north of the riverbed and have been largely inseparable ever since. This is an exceedingly positive development for the lion (sub)population in the far west and into Skeleton Coast National Park. If XPL-150 can keep XPL-143 nearby she will hopefully acquaint him with the area and keep him far from the farming areas up river in Puros Conservancy.