This african landscape of sandstone hills and open savannah is divided by lion prides into hard-won territories giving lionesses like manyari the chance to raise their young in relative peace. Manyari tries to get some rest while keeping an eye on her one-year-old cubs. Most evenings she's out hunting with her sisters their role to provide food for the whole pride.
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. But there's a cruel twist in lion's society, danger comes from their own kind. Out in the bush two eroding young males seek a territory and pride of their own.
Their goal is to defeat the veteran king and take his lionesses for themselves. If they succeed, they will try and kill any cubs under two years old. Manyari is on the alert, it's as if she senses the imminent threat to her offspring.
Most lionesses submit to the superior strength of the males, but manyari is different she will do anything to save her cubs. Trouble for Manyari's pride begins soon after the summer rains have fallen. In this lush corner of southeast Zimbabwe, the game fans out to take advantage of the new growth.
Making the defense of a good territory even more crucial to each lion pride. Magnari is lucky, she was born into the unduna pride named after this area with its year-round waterholes and plenty of game. The undone pride controls the best territory within a protected area of Zimbabwe known as the malilangwe game reserve.
Mali language 100 000 acres are famous for their variety of habitats. Hosting a rich diversity of wildlife which rivals any in east Africa. But this bounty means that other lions covered the Anduna prides territory.
With 5 lionesses and 11 cubs of assorted ages, Schambach the only adult male has his work cut out. At nearly 10 years old, he's done well to keep this large pride together for so long. Perhaps because he knows when to conserve his energy.
The secret of his success lies in Manyari the most experienced of the pride lionesses and Maguaza her sister and hunting partner. Manyari has three cubs two young males and a playful female who likes to stick close to her mother. Maguaza's two cubs are several weeks younger.
Lionesses spend their lives in their native pride and the sisterhood is the bond which keeps the pride strong as they share the task of looking after each other's young. Right now Jambok is not sleeping the whole pride is unusually restless. One of the cubs showers Manyari's daughter with affection.
Only a year old she's oblivious to any danger but Shambok and Manyari need little reminder. The distant roaring signals that the two nomadic males are trespassing on Anduna pride territory. They make their intention clear to Shambok and everyone else in the neighborhood.
The adults do a quick check on their 11 cubs. Manyari heads for the lookout post. The power hungry brothers are moving further inside Shambok territory.
They've picked up the scent of the females. Patrols well-worn paths making sure his presence is known. As darkness falls the youngbloods ignore Shambok's scent marks and throw down their challenge loud and clear.
For the pride it's like the drums of war. The lions fight back they unite together in a show of vocal strength to make themselves sound larger and fiercer than they are. Should be out hunting for their pride now they're shouting hard to try and save the lives of their cubs.
Finally in the small hours their aggressors fall silent, the ruse seems to have worked for now.
