The Birmingham Years
After years of dealing with a revolving door of dominant males, the arrival of the Birmingham males from the north was a welcome change. This coalition of four males began intruding into Kambula pride territory in 2017 and eventually settled there in 2018. From mid-2018 to mid-2019, five females gave birth to offspring sired by the Birmingham males, while the sixth female was suspected to be infertile, having yet to produce a litter despite mating with different males over the years. Under the Birmingham males’ dominance, the pride of six females rapidly grew to over 20 members, becoming the super pride of Sabi Sands. In 2020, as the first generation of Birmingham males neared independence, some females returned to estrus and produced a second generation of Birmingham offspring during 2020 and 2021. The first generation of Birmingham males included six males and a single female who reached adulthood. By this time, the Birmingham males had been reduced to just two and faced increasing pressure from neighboring coalitions such as the Northern Avocas and the lone Othawa male. The pride came into regular contact with these neighboring coalitions; two females accepted Northern Avocas, which further destabilized the pride. Consequently, most cubs from the second Birmingham generation did not survive long. In late 2021, the Birmingham males’ dominance suffered a major blow when four Ndhzenga males from the south invaded their territory. The Birmingham male known as “Tinyo” disappeared during this time, believed to have been killed in the conflict. The last remaining Birmingham male, “Nhenha,” soon went nomadic as the Ndhzenga males pushed out all competing coalitions from the area.
The Ndzhenga Years
In late 2021, the Ndzhengas made their move. The four males marched through Birmingham male territory and faced little resistance from the older Birmingham males. It is believed one Birmingham male was killed during this invasion, leaving the sole remaining male no option but to vacate the territory. The pride split into two factions to protect the young Birmingham offspring. As of 2025, the Ndzhenga males dominate both factions of the original Kambula pride. The main Kambula pride has once again grown past 20 members, similar to the early days under the Birmingham males—an indication of the stability brought by the Ndzhenga coalition. This pride currently consists of five adult females, 11 sub-adults, and four cubs. The second faction, now known as the “Ntsevu” pride, is also under Ndzhenga control and comprises three adult females and three cubs. There are no obvious threats to the Ndzhenga coalition’s reign at present, but this could change soon.
Current Status
The pride is currently doing well, with many sub-adults to feed and cubs to care for. The Ndzhenga males are entering the twilight of their prime years. If these males can hold their territory for another year or two, the pride could truly become a super pride. The future looks bright.
The information was gathered through various public medias such as blog pages, forums, and online groups.
