It was a cold morning on the 21st of march 2022, as we drove from Tamboti Rest Camp along the H7 we came across Shaka contact calling, his call rang out into the bush, nobody answered him. He got up and began walking down the road, calling as he walked, we left him and continued down the road, 1km later there he was, Scar, he could not return the call of his brother.
As he limped down the road, 2 legs injured and his lower lip hanging, we feared the worst. I couldn’t control my emotions.
Infront of me was one of the most impressive, male lions I have ever met and here he was struggling to walk 100m.
My emotions overtook me, how long did this King have left? How could he possibly survive this?
Scar and Shaka come from a bloodline of royalty. Sons of the mighty Matimba Males. A legacy that needs no introduction.
People say it’s “survival of the fittest” in nature, while that is certainly true when a herd of Impalas is fleeing danger I don’t believe the saying fits in a case of this magnitude. I refer back to an old saying “The strong will survive”. Now don’t get me wrong, the strong does not only refer to physical strength (which these two most definitely possess) I am speaking of a different kind of strength, a strength that flows through the blood of these Kings and their fathers before them. A strength that is ingrained in the mind and in the will of a lion to survive at all costs.
And survive he did. Not only did he bounce back from injuries which most thought would claim his life but he did it in a period of 2 months.
There are many people across the globe that in this day and age would have demanded intervention and in my opinion had humans intervened we would not be sitting with one of the greatest comeback stories of The Kruger National Park.
He walked through the fire and emerged from the smoke and together with Shaka they have become two of the most infamous lions in history.
Kings of The Birmingham Pride, 25 lions strong. Carriers of the white lion gene. They have sired an army of Kings and Queens. Among them the latest white lion cub.
Fathers of the 6 mighty Mayambula Males. Their legacy and the legacy of The great Matimba males will continue long after they are gone.
Their savagery needs no introduction, they have fought battle after battle, killing any male that enters their territory. They are the ultimate savages.
The life of a male lion is one of the toughest of any animal in the bush, everyday from birth they must fight to survive.
He is my favourite lion, he reminds me every morning that nothing is impossible if you possess the strength to get up and keep going.
“I wear my scars as a badge of honour, they remind me of the battles I have fought and the strength I possess”
We all have scars and battles we are fighting everday. Whenever it feels like things are impossible just remember, a King or Queen resides in you and no obstacle is too great to overcome.
Kings are not born they are made, through adversity and struggle, when they could lie down and die, they stand up and cry “not today”.
They are true living legends.