As one of the only social cats, lions have social structures that are incredibly complex. Their behavior can sometimes shock people, and the motivations of a lion can vary depending on that specific lion and their history. The Mapogo Lion Coalition is an iconic group of six male South African lions that dominated a reserve next to Kruger National Park called the Sabi Sands between 2006 and 2012. Their iconic rise to power, domination of the land, and eventual fall is an amazing example of how complex lions truly are.
Who Were the Mapogo Lions?
Makulu (Makhulu)
A notably large male with a black mane. He was the only member of the coalition not directly related to the five brothers as he is two years their senior. The other five are from the same litter.
Pretty Boy
As lions age and grow, researchers will occasionally assign them names referencing their notable features. Pretty Boy was described by people as “an incredibly good looking male”, so it seems the name stuck.
Scar
Much like Pretty Boy, researchers named Scar after a notable feature. He acquired a scar stretching from his hip to his spine and it was an easy way to identify him.
Rasta (Dreadlock)
Researchers noticed one member of the coalition had gotten something caught in the front of his mane. With the dreadlock formed, it seemed right to name him after it, so some researchers let Dreadlock stick. Many more called him Rasta, though.
Mr. T (Satan)
As the males aged and their manes grew in, researchers noticed one growing in the shape of a mohawk. With Mr. T being a prominent figure, it only felt right to name this lion after him.
Kinky Tail
Even as a cub, Kinky Tail had his name because he’s always been easy to identify. The kink occurs towards the end of his tail, and it grew with him as he aged.
What is a Coalition?
It’s important to understand the role male lions play in their social structure. It is commonly believed that groups of lions are called prides – which is somewhat true. A pride is a group of female lions raising cubs. The males that father the cubs in those prides roam large territories which contain many prides. Males with large, successfully held territories are often part of coalitions. Coalitions are a group of males that work together to run a territory.
Their Rise
The males of the Mapogo coalition came from the Mala Mala pride, splitting off in 2006. Before establishing their own territory, they were noticed hunting cape buffalo – one of the deadliest animals in Africa. This is unique for a young coalition, and a clear sign of their strength and confidence.
When they did establish their territory, it was a gruesome ordeal. If any male lion wants to take over a territory, he must either run out the current dominant male, or kill him. If he succeeds on either front, to stake his claim, he must ensure all cubs are his. So, unfortunately, it’s instinct to kill every cub that doesn’t belong to him so the females can begin raising his children.
As a result, the males of the Mapogo Coalition began taking over the Sabi Sands. In their quest for dominance, they killed dominant males, their cubs, and females that didn’t yield. All in all, researchers suggest around 40 lions were killed over the course of the year they rose to power. This ensured their dominance over the savanna for about four years. Unfortunately, their fall from power was just as brutal as their rise.
Their Fall
Around 2010, one brother, Kinky Tail, was killed in a dispute with another male coalition. Shortly after, Rasta disappeared, and researchers aren’t sure what happened to him. They speculate that he could’ve either been taken out by the same coalition that killed Kinky Tail or, unfortunately, poachers. At around the same time, people killed Scar when he wandered into a human settlement.
Consequently, this left three of the remaining coalition: Makulu, Mr. T, and Pretty Boy. In 2012, Mr. T was killed by a new male coalition, and this is what sent the two remaining members of the Mapogo Coalition back into Kruger National Park. Makulu and Pretty Boy were seen together in November of 2012, but at some point, only Makulu remained. He was spotted back in Mala Mala in 2013 at fifteen years old – much older than the average male lion living in the wild.
What did it all mean?
The importance of their brutal regime is the impact they had on human understanding of lion behavior. It isn’t always as simple as one male lion wandering in and pushing another male out. It can be a brutal ordeal – and that’s good. That’s their nature. The fact that we were able to witness such an amazing group of males helped us push research and conservation in that area.
The Mapogo Coalition challenged the Sabi Sand Reserve and allowed a new push of powerful genetics to dominate the area. Their short reign still produces some of the strongest lions in that region today!
Sources
https://wildearth.tv/2008/05/the-mapogo-story/
https://secretafrica.com/the-notorious-mapogo-lions-of-the-sabi-sand-game-reserve/
https://africageographic.com/stories/the-legend-of-the-mapogo-lions/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGTw43MykuY
*Published by Laynie Rodzon on 08/26/2025*