Tales from Liuwa Plains: Rebuilding a Pride

Vast grasslands rich with wildebeest would seem the ideal place for a lion to thrive, but when you remove all other lions, add a robust population of hyenas and a smattering of villages, it suddenly becomes a very dangerous place. Mobs of hyenas eagerly descend on every hard-earned meal, and rest is rarely a full respite with one eye always open. This was the crushing reality faced every day by Lady Liuwa, the Last Lioness of Liuwa Plain.

For years she wandered the plains alone, the last bastion of once-great prides. The realities of a modern wilderness had decimated Liuwa’s prides, leaving Lady all alone. In a land without friends and no end of foes, she battled every day for her survival. Lions and hyenas are notorious rivals, and Lady simply could not compete in a game of sheer numbers. But despite the immense unlikelihood of surviving, she did. Wild lions are lucky to reach 12, but Lady achieved an impressive 17 years – a true testament to her spirit and intelligence.

She learned to lurk on the periphery of villages, taking advantage of the hyenas’ tendencies to avoid humans. Neither entering the settlements nor killing cattle, she was accepted as a benevolent presence by the villagers. Often resting at the grave of Mambeti, a beloved daughter of the king’s favourite game warden, many believed Lady was her reincarnated spirit, further solidifying her place in the villagers’ hearts. Ultimately, it was this love that protected her.

No ecosystem is complete without apex predators, so African Parks (AP), the non-profit organization tasked with managing the national park since 2003, decided to translocate lions as a part of their restoration efforts. After years of solitude, when Lady called across the plains, a call would now return. When she lifted her head to the wind, the scent of another lion would at last greet her nose.

In 2009, a year after an unsuccessful first attempt, the Zambian Carnivore Programme and AP collaborated to transfer two males from nearby Kafue National Park. It was hoped that one would win the affections of Lady and produce cubs, establishing a new Liuwa pride. In time relations took place but no cubs resulted, most likely because of Lady’s age.

After the stumbling attempt, AP made the bold decision to introduce young females that could mate with the existing males, potentially representing a risk to Lady’s welfare. This is how Sepiwa, meaning ‘hope’ in the local dialect, came to live with Lady. Called Sepo for short, she settled in well under the watchful guidance of Lady. Sepo lived up to her name, producing a litter of beautiful little cubs in 2014. With two female cubs and one male, the pride was up to seven. Lady had her family back.

Over the years, a special relationship developed between Lady and Sepo. Now aged 15, Lady was entering an age that few lions ever see. Still strong but no longer hunting as well as she once did, Lady relied on Sepo to do most of the hunting for the pride. Instead, Lady kept her place at the head as the honoured grandmother, guiding the pride with her years of wisdom and watching the cubs while Sepo hunted.

‘Once, when Lady was injured and unable to move with the pride, Sepo hid her cubs away, travelled 40 kilometres north to Lady, killed a wildebeest and dragged it over to her, all before travelling 40 kilometres back. That was the kind of love and respect that Lady’s pride had for her,’ reminisced Innocent Tembo, senior guide at Time + Tide King Lewanika.

Thanks to the pride’s strength, the cubs are now healthy adults, roaming the plains just like long ago. Sepo even welcomed a second litter of cubs – two males who were born a year ago. Around the same time another male was introduced from Kafue. He had a rough entry after an explosive encounter with Sepo, but he is slowly familiarising himself with the pride and will be a strong asset to Liuwa’s lions.

After 17 years of ruling the plains, Lady Liuwa passed away this past August. It is not known why she died, but all signs point to natural causes. Sadly, a month later, Sepo also passed away, succumbing to injuries sustained while protecting her cubs. Lady and Sepo died surrounded with the love and support of their pride. Though they no longer roam the plains, their spirit and legacy will live forever in the Liuwa Plain.

Writer: Kelsea Lee, Time + Tide Photography: Will Burrard Lucas, Heinrich van den Berg, Time + Tide