Lions try their luck: Video

The good news is Manyari is just fine. There’s no sign of any stiffness and she was on the move and hunting all night with her 2 boys in tow.
But my vehicle isn’t fine. Driving through some really rough and tough country last night I hit one of those many hidden tree stumps, which didn’t give. Instead my car gave and I totally bent my tie rod and broke a safety arm on the base-plate. The car was still driveable but did it’s own wandering across the road.

The lions left Banyini at dusk hunting to the northwest. They crossed several major donga systems, which we had to circumnavigate. So they hunted all the way across the Binya road almost down to the Chiredzi River. Then just before dusk they did an about turn and it was straight back east, but this time at a serious pace and we couldn’t keep up.
Next they were in the hills roaring as they went. I was wobbling down the roads with my bent tie rod and eventually picked them up resting in the hills just west of Kwali. But I just don’t know why they suddenly headed east at such pace?
The light was lovely but the lions hardly stirred.

Suddenly Sjambok sat bolt upright looking behind me. Magwaza, obviously hearing their roaring, had arrived. Sjambok ran to greet her and she cowered submissively. And then amazingly she went down into the mating position and Sjambok covered her. But just before he was in position she retaliated aggressively and he backed off.
The 2 boys kept following her and repeatedly she would present herself to be mated and each time retaliate aggressively.
It could be that Magwaza is coming into a false oestrus. I’ve seen this on a number of occasions with leopards where they come into oestrus about a month after the cubs are born. Of course nothing ever happens.
Eventually, the boys realising their luck was out, rested up with Manyari.