The Lion Queen: Manyari queen of her pride

12 Mar 2023

She’s a hunter, killer, sister, but above all a selfless mother. Soon after you meet Manyari, queen of her pride, she does something both unusual and bold. She leaves the sanctuary of her family with her young cubs and takes them on a dangerous odyssey. She makes a bid to escape because two young bloods are sniffing around and, if they take over the pride, they will kill her cubs. Out in the wilderness, away from the protection of the pride male and without her sister to help her hunt, Manyari is forced to take huge risks. When her cubs are starving they wander back dangerously close to the young princes; as Manyari fights for her cubs’ very survival, her every move is shadowed by the marauding nomads. They know she’s out there and they want her back. Witness the terrifying hazards this mother takes to give her cubs a few more precious months of life.

Transcript

0:11

This african landscape of sandstone hills and open savannah is divided by lion prides into hard-won  

0:19

territories giving lionesses like manyari the  chance to raise their young in relative peace.

0:30

Manyari tries to get some rest while  keeping an eye on her one-year-old cubs.

0:38

Most evenings she's out hunting with her sisters their role to provide food for the whole pride.

0:49

In return the job of shambok the pride male   is to defend their territory giving the cubs  the sanctuary they need to grow and mature.

1:02

But there's a cruel twist in lion's  society, danger comes from their own kind.  

1:09

Out in the bush two eroding young males  seek a territory and pride of their own.

1:16

Their goal is to defeat the veteran king  and take his lionesses for themselves.

1:23

If they succeed, they will try and  kill any cubs under two years old.

1:32

Manyari is on the alert, it's as if she  senses the imminent threat to her offspring.

1:49

Most lionesses submit to the  superior strength of the males,  

1:54

but manyari is different she  will do anything to save her cubs.

2:14

Trouble for Manyari's pride begins  soon after the summer rains have fallen.

2:21

In this lush corner of southeast Zimbabwe, the game fans out to take advantage of the new growth.

2:27

Making the defense of a good territory  even more crucial to each lion pride.

2:34

Magnari is lucky, she was born into the  unduna pride named after this area with  

2:40

its year-round waterholes and plenty of game.

2:50

The undone pride controls the best territory  within a protected area of Zimbabwe  

2:55

known as the malilangwe game reserve.

3:03

Mali language 100 000 acres are  famous for their variety of habitats.

3:09

Hosting a rich diversity of wildlife  which rivals any in east Africa.

3:24

But this bounty means that other lions  covered the Anduna prides territory.

3:36

With 5 lionesses and 11 cubs of assorted ages, Schambach the only adult male has his work cut out.

3:46

At nearly 10 years old, he's done well to  keep this large pride together for so long.  

3:51

Perhaps because he knows  when to conserve his energy.

4:00

The secret of his success lies in Manyari   the most experienced of the pride lionesses and Maguaza her sister and hunting partner.

4:12

Manyari has three cubs two young males   and a playful female who likes  to stick close to her mother.

4:37

Maguaza's two cubs are several weeks younger. Lionesses spend their lives in their native  pride and the sisterhood is the bond which  

4:45

keeps the pride strong as they share the  task of looking after each other's young.

4:56

Right now Jambok is not sleeping the  whole pride is unusually restless.

5:13

One of the cubs showers  Manyari's daughter with affection.

5:20

Only a year old she's oblivious to any danger but Shambok and Manyari need little reminder.

5:33

The distant roaring signals that the two nomadic males are trespassing on Anduna pride territory.

5:40

They make their intention clear to Shambok  and everyone else in the neighborhood.

5:49

The adults do a quick check on their 11 cubs.

6:10

Manyari heads for the lookout post.

6:30

The power hungry brothers are moving  further inside Shambok territory.

6:40

They've picked up the scent of the females.

6:54

Patrols well-worn paths making  sure his presence is known.

7:11

As darkness falls the youngbloods  ignore Shambok's scent marks   and throw down their challenge loud and clear.

7:27

For the pride it's like the drums of war.

7:44

The lions fight back they unite together in a show   of vocal strength to make themselves  sound larger and fiercer than they are.

8:09

Should be out hunting for their  pride now they're shouting hard   to try and save the lives of their cubs.

8:46

Finally in the small hours their aggressors fall silent, the ruse seems to have worked for now.

9:09

It's been a long night the pride wakes on empty stomachs

9:18

Magnari is up first

9:26

with the nomads in the  neighborhood she don't go far

9:35

she checks out the local game

9:54

the nearest big prey are also the most dangerous

10:05

manyari means buffalo killer but a large bull  is almost five times heavier than a lioness  

10:12

many of her kin have been  gored by horns like these

10:28

it would be foolhardy to tackle buffalo alone

10:34

but the other lionesses have turned out to help

10:48

with the herd spooked the risk is too great   the females wait until cover of  darkness gives them an advantage

11:01

they will have to rely on shambok to  do his job and keep his rivals at bay   while they are out hunting

11:14

um

11:36

in the shadows the sisters work  as a team and isolate a male

11:47

one of them needs to attack it's magnari who strikes first  

11:58

she grapples the rump to avoid the dagger-like  horns while the others keep the ball surrounded

12:12

suddenly two male intruders are on the scene

12:26

the other lionesses back off but  magnari is reluctant to concede

12:41

she has no choice the two rewarding  nomads have stolen her prey

12:54

foreign

13:10

these young princes are not expert  buffalo hunters like the lionesses   and by morning they're still trying  to wear down their tenacious quarry

13:32

for these two groups of lions this is  far more than a tussle over one meal

13:39

by stealing this kill from the lionesses right  inside the heart of jambox territory these young  

13:44

bloods have thrown down a second gauntlet and  a blatant warning to the whole londoner pride

14:02

with no sign of zhambok instinct  forces magnari to take action

14:14

she greets each of her cubs in turn

14:24

and then ever so casually she slips away

14:32

her cubs watch her disappear into the bush

14:46

slowly the three youngsters follow they seem   to understand the need not to  draw attention to themselves

14:58

but their departure has been spotted  by one of the older male cubs

15:04

he follows and four more cubs including  maguaza's two younger ones trek out after manyari

15:13

her bid to escape has turned into an exodus

15:26

a lioness never usually leaves her pride   it's a huge step and a big risk which manyari  took to save her cubs but now she has far  

15:38

more than she bargained for she's got eight  inexperienced youngsters relying totally on her

15:48

not only will she have the nomads on her  back by disappearing with so many cubs   she'll also have angered shambok

16:00

she has to get this unlikely gang  as far away as fast as she can   but the pace is slow maybe because the  younger ones don't see the need for urgency

16:31

jambok has lost his best hunter and eight cubs  

16:36

but he still has four lionesses  and three cubs to fight for

16:51

the two assailants are closing in

17:04

has no choice he has to assert his authority

17:14

he heads out to confront the intruders   it's time to make a last stand  and save the rest of his pride

17:44

uh

17:49

the battle was swift the veteran stood little   chance against two young  bloods spoiling for a fight

18:02

cast out into the wilderness  for the first time in years   he will have to fend for himself  until old age overwhelms him

18:19

a day later manyari is still trying to  cover the miles with her eight dependents

18:30

the cubs are beginning to flag  it seemed like a big adventure   but now they're bored with the long journey

18:40

some of them just want to play

19:07

manyari chives them all they reach a  rocky outcrop where she can keep a lookout  

19:14

with a bit of unwanted help from the baboon  troop and at last she gives them a break

19:28

manyari can't afford to stop these  cubs haven't yet learned to hunt  

19:33

they're all relying on her to provide food

19:47

she's used to working with her  sisters now she'll have to hunt alone

20:04

she targets buffalo risky without magwaza  but she has eight hungry mouths to feed

20:13

she's not alone the youngsters are keen to join in   with the bravado of youth they  seem oblivious of the danger

20:42

foreign

20:49

manyari has the calf she leaves it to her  eager apprentices to make their first kill  

20:58

but the buffalo haven't given up females  with calves are the most dangerous of all  

21:06

they bunch together to form a battering ram

21:16

um

21:40

this calf had a lucky escape  and might even survive

21:55

by letting naive youngsters face this herd  of buffalo magnari gambled with their lives  

22:02

it's as if she knows that her cubs will  have to grow up faster than they should

22:14

manari's young may be seriously  hungry but at least they're alive

22:36

back in honduna the two brothers  have made themselves at home   they have claimed jambox old territory and his  females daylight reveals why magnari took such  

22:48

enormous risks to flee with her cubs the lionesses  which stayed behind paid the ultimate price

23:15

awful though it seems incoming male lions   kill young cubs for good reason their own  reign as head of the pride may be short

23:27

by killing the cubs they bring the females  into easter sooner giving them a chance to  

23:33

father their own offspring to maturity before  other males move in to steal their lionesses

24:11

uh

24:24

days later and magnari must hunt again

24:29

this is the relentless life she  has chosen teaching her charges   keeping them fed gone are the days when  she could snooze through the sunlit hours

24:43

with the cubs more a hindrance than  a help she sneaks off without them

24:58

she finds some wildebeest in mali langue small  wildebeest herds are resident all year round um

25:43

um

26:04

she's vulnerable out in the open and  tries to drag the meal into cover

26:31

um

26:49

the hungry adolescents have noted her absence   they're ready and waiting the alarm calls at  the baboons suggest that manyari is nearby

27:06

it's a small kill and magnari  takes the opportunity to feed first   she needs to keep her own strength up

27:16

but the youngsters are too hungry  to show their elder any respect

27:26

one calf doesn't divide into nine easily each  has to fight for their share of the action

27:51

manyari has only had scraps but with the  meal demolished they're all friends again

28:03

every moment she shares with these  affectionate juveniles is borrowed time

28:12

sound travels in the still  of the night and she can   hear the power hungry brothers laying their claim  

28:26

now the anduna pride females  have accepted their reign   the princes spend more time  exploring their new territory

28:37

they pick up banyari's scent  from one of her hunting forays

28:45

for these males magnari is unfinished business  they know she's out there with the youngsters  

28:57

they need to track down the cubs they  can't allow any young lions on their turf   which could one day be a threat to their reign

29:24

magnari is aware the brothers are on her trail

29:42

she rouses the group once again like refugees they're  forced to up sticks and move on

29:53

the dry season is beginning to bite and  the game will concentrate around familiar   water holes but magnari takes them beyond the  borders of her homeland into unknown territory

30:09

her pupils are older now they're learning fast  but they're still not ready for independence  

30:16

somehow manyari needs to buy  these young lions more time

30:40

the brothers have brought down an adult giraffe

30:52

they've been traveling in the same  direction as manyari's group these  

30:57

two strong males are in their prime and they're  not afraid to extend their hunting territory

31:20

while the brothers have more  than enough meat to sustain them   eight large cubs are too many for one lioness  magnari is struggling to keep their bellies full

31:39

she needs to bring down larger prey

32:18

zebra stripes are designed to confuse her   as they twist and turn she must  keep her focus on her target  

32:35

so

32:48

in full flight she didn't even see  the jagged stump which tore into her  

32:54

injuries as bad as these are usually fatal

33:07

yet slowly incredibly magnari keeps herself  moving if she lies down she will give up

33:24

loss of blood means she is dangerously dehydrated  she needs to find water yet she can barely walk

33:50

she licks her lips trying to  find moisture to clean her wounds   but it's too painful to reach them

34:08

her eight dependents are still  waiting in hope of the meal

34:18

the oldest and most impatient leads the search

34:34

there is no food there is only manyari  with life draining from her body

34:46

her daughter tries to rouse her

35:11

the youngsters are a reminder that  she has something to fight for

35:36

she collapsed only a few feet from water

35:46

with her daughter hovering  protectively she slicks her thirst

36:06

so

36:16

she cleans her wounds the risk of  infection and blood poisoning is huge

36:31

she can barely tolerate her daughter near her

36:39

the other hungry youngsters are on edge

36:48

the brothers are still hot on their trail

37:07

these sub-adults seem to accept that their mentor  can no longer help them five of them abandon her

37:18

the female tries one last time to rally her mother  

37:33

hunger wins and she and her brother  follow the other siblings into the night

37:55

manyari calls them back she's aware  the marauding males are out there

38:09

this time there's nothing she can do

38:17

the naive youngsters have already picked  up the irresistible sound of a lion hunt

38:25

they're wary yet hunger makes them reckless

38:44

they move headlong towards danger

38:55

surprisingly the killer makes way for them  at the feast for this is magwaza's kill

39:05

meal time is not the place for greetings  but for once the cubs get a lucky break  

39:12

magwaza manyari's sister has  found her own long-lost cubs

39:27

the wounded lioness can hear the feasting

39:46

fighting searing pain she forces her body to move

40:20

manyari makes it to her family for the first time in months  someone has provided for her

40:45

it looks as though maguaza plans to stay  around and keep an eye on her wayward   accident-prone sister she's so far from honduna  that this is unlikely to be a chance encounter  

40:59

like the brothers maguaza must have been  tracking her sister and their offspring

41:10

for manyari it will be a  long painful road to recovery  

41:16

but with her sister on hand  to help she stands a chance

41:27

magwaza instinctively takes  over from the injured lioness   hunting and providing for the fledgling pride

41:43

the juveniles don't care who catches their food   with the oldest cub now nearly two  years they're just happy to be well fed

41:57

as the days pass magnari has been cleaning  her wounds scrupulously she's healing well

42:07

this ragtagol group is beginning to  look less like refugees and more like   a normal pride just occasionally  they even snooze in the sunshine

42:20

but maguire is aware of the urgency  and there is room for improvement   in the hunting technique of the youngsters she  gives them a crash course in who best to avoid

42:43

finally one evening maguaza leads all eight  sub-adults out on a serious hunting mission

42:59

magnari joins them after everything she's done for the cubs she's not  going to miss their ultimate test buffalo at night  

43:18

it's a big challenge for manyari too  will she still have the strength and   agility to live up to her name and  face down africa's most volatile prey

43:46

so

44:04

all right sisters have done their bit and back off  leaving their pupils to finish the job

44:39

it's a coming-of-age in the  weeks and months to come   these half-brothers and sisters will have to sort  out their own squabbles and form a new hierarchy

45:08

against the odds manyari with maguire's help   has raised all eight cubs so  they're ready for independence

45:20

this family cannot stay together as  a pride because the two princes will   always covet the females and see these  young males as a threat to their reign

45:38

the sisters risked their lives for their cubs now the best thing they can do  for their young is drive them away

46:05

so

46:18

suddenly the moment is upon them

46:30

the brothers have sneaked up unawares

46:40

this is not the time to  linger over lengthy farewells

47:10

mm-hmm

47:26

magnari turns back to face her challenger

47:41

once again she risks her life if she can  just distract the males for long enough

47:52

her sister tries the same ruse

48:00

giving the youngsters a chance to escape

48:24

now these young lions really are on their own  they had a shaky start and had to grow up fast  

48:32

thanks to the courage of two unusual  lionesses they have a fair chance of making it

48:49

for manyari and maguaza it's  time to return from exile   and resume their place back in their old pride

49:12

the sisters will accept the same males who  were determined to kill their cubs as their   new protectors as if their flight  into the wilderness never happened

49:31

the lionesses will hunt  buffalo for the whole pride   and consort with their old enemies because  this is how it works in lions society

49:49

only manyari did things differently   she defied the usual order and saved  her cubs truly an extraordinary lioness

51:08

you

English

AllFrom the seriesFrom Show Me the WorldLionsRelatedFor you

Shambock’s fate after being ousted from the Nduna pride by younger males remains unclear, as there are no specific updates available on his whereabouts or condition1.

Magwasa, Manyari’s sister, faced a challenging journey. She did eventually find Manyari, but it was too late to rejoin the pride. The dynamics within lion prides can be harsh, and reintegration is often difficult once a lioness has been separated for an extended period2.

The Nduna pride has several notable members beyond Shambock, Manyari, and Magwasa. The pride includes two dominant males and three females, who are known for their hunting prowess1.

The Nduna pride’s habitat is characterized by high, rocky areas around Nduna and Lojaan Dams. These lions often sunbathe on large rocks and retreat into cool gullies and thick vegetation during the hottest parts of the day3. This terrain also provides strategic advantages for hunting, particularly ambushing buffalo near water sources3.

Learn more

1singita.com2youtube.com3singita.com4kpbs.org5mitchellkrog.com6africantravelcanvas.com7youtube.com8youtube.com9singita.com10singita.com11peerj.com12doi.org