Two newly introduced lionesses that were released into the Main Camp/Colchester area on Monday the 3rd of March 2025 are now roaming the game viewing area of the Addo Elephant National Park near Gqeberha.
According to SANParks, the two-and-a-half year-old sisters were brought in from the !Khamab Kalahari Reserve on the south-eastern edge of the Kalahari.
Picture: Supplied/SANParks
They arrived over the December period and have been acclimatising to the area in one of the Park’s bomas.
The lionesses serve as a value addition to the Park’s lion population. They bring with them strong, healthy genes that are expected to add value to the genetic variety in the Park.
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Currently, there are five other lions on the game viewing area, as well as a further three in what is known as the Nyathi section.
As reported by News24, SANParks also shared that the two lionesses are both collared for ease of monitoring. This enables rangers and researchers to observe what habitats they use, their proximity to the males and other predators, as well as which species they prey on.
Furthermore, the collars allow management to reach a fine balance of managing the lion population carefully in relation to the size of the Park and their impact on prey species.
Picture: Supplied/SANParks
‘Their management forms part of a larger initiative to mimic natural processes that regulate lion social behaviour and population growth, which includes swapping individuals between parks to ensure constant introduction of new genes,’ said SANParks spokesperson, JP Louw.
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