The ‘Black Dam Male’ is one of the largest and most famous lions to walk the Kruger in recent times. He thrived as the solo, dominant male of the Giraffe Pride in Thornybush and Timbavati. To protect a territory and successfully sire cubs as a solo male lion is no small feat in these areas with stiff competition often coming from male coalitions in search of their own success. He was widely known for his enormous size and presence, with a thick dark mane as a signal of dominance. For years there were many sightings of him hunting alongside the lionesses of the Giraffe Pride, who specialize in bringing down large prey such as buffalo and giraffes.
In early 2020, at the age of 10, he was gor...