Series 2 cat spotlight: Big Toe and Madumo

By wildlife cinematographer Greg Hartman

Image above: Dominant male lions, Big Toe and Madumo, have been head of the Xudum Pride for half a decade.

The Xudum Pride has been one of the great success stories of the Okavango Delta.

Madumo and Big Toe are anything but average.

At its peak, the pride swelled to more than 40 lions - an astonishing number that made it look almost indestructible.

Much of that success can be traced back to two formidable males: Madumo and Big Toe. They have ruled the Xudum territory for up to six years - an exceptionally long time.

Image above: Big Toe patrols his territory to keep out intruder male lions.

For male lions, that is extraordinary.

The once ever-present kings were becoming harder and harder to find.

On average, males hold on to a territory for just two years before being challenged and replaced. Madumo and Big Toe are anything but average. Their long-term stability has allowed the pride to grow, thrive and dominate one of the most productive regions of the Delta.

But during filming for Series 2 of Big Cats 24/7 something strange began to happen. The once ever-present kings were becoming harder and harder to find. There were fewer signs of them patrolling the areas they had long controlled and they were spending less time with the Xudum lionesses.

Image above: Wildlife cinematographer Greg Hartman follows the Okavango Delta's big cats.

Weeks passed with only fleeting sightings. For two lions who had once been the very definition of dominance, it was deeply unusual behaviour.

Trying to find them was extraordinarily challenging

Trying to find them was extraordinarily challenging, involving many frustrating days scouring over 100km² for signs and really testing my perseverance.

Then, one day in the far southwest - an area the team had barely explored before - Big Toe led us somewhere completely unexpected. There, we found Madumo with an unfamiliar lioness. The pair were almost certainly mating.

Image above: Dominant male lion Big Toe hasn't been seen with the rest of the Xudum Pride for weeks.

As we spent more time in this remote corner of the Delta the picture became clear.

while they were galivanting in the southwest, trouble erupted back home.

Madumo and Big Toe were interacting with an entirely new pride of females. Even in their advancing years, the males were still powerful enough to gain access to new mating opportunities, but while they were galivanting in the southwest, trouble erupted back home.

With the Xudum Pride left unprotected, rival males - including the notorious Rogue Boys - moved in. Cubs were attacked, lionesses were harassed, and the once-stable pride descended into chaos. New challengers like Golden Boy and Gumbo began hanging around, mating with younger females and threatening the old order.

Image above: Some of the Xudum Pride's younger females have begun mating with intruder males.

So why would Madumo and Big Toe risk everything?

One of the largest prides on Earth just wasn’t enough.

The answer lies in lion biology. Most of the older Xudum females already had cubs sired by the males, while the younger cubless lionesses were likely their own daughters. In short, mating opportunities within the pride had dried up.

Male lions often rule over more than one pride at the same time - but Madumo and Big Toe took ambition to another level. One of the largest prides on Earth just wasn’t enough. If there were more females out there, these ageing kings were willing to gamble everything to secure them.