Deceased

Pretty Boy

Also known as Bent Spine · The Handsome Mapogo

c. 2001 – late November 2012

Born in Sabi Sand Game Reserve, South Africa

Pretty Boy was a male lion of South Africa’s Sabi Sand Game Reserve, beside Kruger National Park, and one of the six members of the Mapogo coalition that dominated the Sabi Sand from 2006 to 2012. He was one of five brothers born in the Sparta Pride, also called the Eyrefield Pride, on the land of Londolozi and MalaMala, and was named for his good looks: guides and fans described him as the most handsome of the six, with a fine face and a full mane. Fans also called him and his brother Rasta the Twins.

When the coalition split in June 2007, Pretty Boy stayed in the western Sabi Sand with Makulu, Rasta and Dreadlocks while Mr. T and Kinky Tail went east. In July 2010, a few weeks after the Majingilane males killed Kinky Tail, all five surviving Mapogos were seen together in the middle of the month. Soon afterwards Rasta vanished, and Pretty Boy reappeared in the west in late July badly hurt, with bite wounds along his back that seemed to have bent his spine, and from then on many people knew him as Bent Spine.

He recovered, and with Makulu and Mr. T he was one of the last three Mapogos. In early March 2012 he was injured again in a clash with the four young Selati males, and on 16 March, when the Selatis killed Mr. T, Pretty Boy and Makulu fled east and lived on as nomads. Against expectations they survived most of the year and were seen feeding on a buffalo in October–November 2012. Pretty Boy reportedly died at the end of November 2012, about 11 years old, with Makulu still beside him.

~6Years of reign

~11Age at death

8Prides ruled with the coalition

6Males in his coalition

Profile

Identity

Name: Pretty BoyThe name he is best known by
Nicknames: Bent Spine, T2 (reportedly), one of “the Twins” with Rasta
Origin of the name: Named for his handsome looksWho first used the name has not been documented
Sex: Male
Distinguishing features: Handsome face and a full mane; after 2010, a visibly bent backOne source describes a distinctive scar on his back left hip and spine; other sources give a hip scar to a different Mapogo
Weight: Information not availableFor reference, adult male lions usually weigh 150–260 kg

Birth & Family

Born: c. 2001A fan directory gives January 2001; the five Mapogo brothers were born around 2001–2002
Birthplace: Sabi Sand Game Reserve, South AfricaIn the Londolozi and MalaMala area; exact birth site not recorded
Birth pride: Sparta Pride (also called the Eyrefield Pride)
Father: One of the West Street MalesFive males, also called the Sparta Males; which of them fathered him is not known
Mother: Information not availableA Sparta Pride lioness whose identity has not been documented
Siblings: Mr. T, Kinky Tail, Rasta and Dreadlocks (brothers); Makulu (believed half-brother)Rasta is often called his twin. Sources do not all agree on the names of the six

Reign

Pride king: Yes, member of the Mapogo coalition
Prides ruled: With the Mapogo coalition; in the west mainly the Ximhungwe (Castleton) PrideThe coalition reportedly controlled up to eight prides at different times
Pride size: Information not available
Reign: About 6 years (2006 – 2012)
Ruled with: The Mapogo brothers; from 2007 mainly Makulu, Rasta and Dreadlocks; from 2010 Makulu and Mr. T
Coalition: The Mapogo Coalition
Home range: Sabi Sand Game Reserve: the northern Sabi Sand, then the western sector; as a nomad after March 2012, the east of the reserve and the edge of Kruger National Park
Territory size: Information not availableAbout 70,000 hectares is often given for the whole coalition at its peak; not verified

Death

Died: Late November 2012Reported; no exact date has been published
Age at death: About 11 yearsSome sources say 12
Cause of death: Reportedly tuberculosisOther accounts say the cause is not known and that he may have starved; he had become thin and weak
Place of death: Information not availableNot recorded. He was then living as a nomad with Makulu in the eastern Sabi Sand and along the Kruger boundary
Burial: Information not available

Names & Meanings

Pretty BoyName

For his good looks. He was described as an exceptionally handsome male, better-looking than his brothers. Who first gave him the name has not been documented.

Bent SpineNickname

From the injuries to his back after a fight in July 2010, believed to have been with the Majingilane, which seemed to leave his spine bent. Londolozi noted in 2012 that many people called him by this name.

T2Reported nickname

Used by some fans in online lion directories. Why it was used has not been documented.

The TwinsName for the pair

Fans called Pretty Boy and Rasta the Twins because they looked alike and were often together.

Family & Lineage

Father’s coalitionWest Street MalesFive males, also called the Sparta Males, who sired the five Mapogo brothers. Which one was his father is not known.

LionessMotherA lioness of the Sparta (Eyrefield) Pride whose identity has not been documented.

Bent SpinePretty Boyc. 2001 – 2012

Believed half-brother & last partnerMakuluThe oldest Mapogo. Stayed with Pretty Boy to the end and was last seen alone at MalaMala in January 2013.View record →Brother · “twin”RastaVanished in late July or early August 2010, around the time Pretty Boy was injured; believed killed by the Majingilane.View record →BrotherMr. TAlso called Satan. Killed by the four Selati males on 16 March 2012.View record →BrotherKinky TailAlso called Shaka. Killed by the four Majingilane males on 8 June 2010.View record →BrotherDreadlocksLeft the reserve in late 2010 and was killed by people outside it.View record →

OffspringCubs of the coalitionThe Mapogos fathered cubs in the Ximhungwe, Othawa, Tsalala and other prides. Which cubs were Pretty Boy’s own is not documented, and some of the western cubs were killed by Mr. T in 2010.

Life Story

c. 2001
Born in the Sparta (Eyrefield) Pride in the Londolozi and MalaMala area, one of five brothers sired by the West Street Males.
2001 – 2005
Grew up in the pride with his four brothers and the slightly older outsider Makulu.
c. 2005 – 2006
Left the pride with the other five. As nomads they became expert buffalo hunters.
2006
The Mapogos took the northern Sabi Sand, killing one of the four resident males and the cubs of the Othawa Pride.
June 2007
After Makulu beat Mr. T in a fight the coalition split. Pretty Boy stayed in the west with Makulu, Rasta and Dreadlocks.
2007 – 2010
Held the western Sabi Sand. Photographs from this time show him feeding with the Ximhungwe Pride, reportedly letting the cubs eat beside him but keeping the adult lionesses away.
Mid-2010
After Kinky Tail’s death Mr. T returned west. The brothers accepted him even though he killed cubs in their Ximhungwe Pride.
Mid-July 2010
All five Mapogos were seen and filmed roaring together at Leopard Hills.
Late July 2010
Pretty Boy reappeared in the west with severe bite wounds along his back and became known as Bent Spine. At about the same time Rasta disappeared and was never seen again.
Late 2010
Dreadlocks was lost, leaving three Mapogos: Makulu, Pretty Boy and Mr. T.
Early March 2012
Injured in the first clash with the four young Selati (Southern) males. Londolozi published photographs of his wounds and reported that he was recovering.
16 March 2012
The Selati males killed Mr. T. Pretty Boy and Makulu fled east.
2012
With Makulu he fought two Kruger males, Freddy and Limper, and lost. The pair were later seen, thin and worn, entering Kruger National Park.
October – November 2012
Seen again on Londolozi with Makulu, feeding on a buffalo they had killed.
Late November 2012
Reportedly died, with Makulu still beside him. He was about 11 years old.

Legend & Truth

Which one was Pretty Boy?

Each lodge used its own names, so the Mapogos are often mixed up. Some websites say Pretty Boy disappeared in 2010, but Londolozi’s photographs of his wounds in March 2012 and the many sightings of him with Makulu later that year show that he lived until the end of 2012.

The fight no one saw

Many websites say Pretty Boy and Rasta fought the Majingilane at Elephant Plains on 9 July 2010, but all five Mapogos were seen together at Leopard Hills in mid-July. A fight later that month is widely believed because of Pretty Boy’s injuries and Rasta’s disappearance, but no one saw it and it has never been confirmed.

Did he die of tuberculosis?

Bovine tuberculosis is present in lions of the greater Kruger area, and several accounts say Pretty Boy died of it. No test results were published, and other accounts say only that he had grown weak and thin, so the exact cause remains uncertain.

Photographs

Photograph coming soon

More photographs

Film

The film of Bent Spine’s life is coming soon

Animation

An animated story of Bent Spine’s life is coming soon

Documentaries & Features

Documentary2015

Brothers in Blood: The Lions of Sabi Sand

Daniel Huertas

The rise and fall of the Mapogo coalition, filmed over many years in the Sabi Sand. Shown in the United States as the series Lions of Sabi Sands on Animal Planet.

View

Television episode

Lions of Sabi Sands — The End of the Mapogos

Animal Planet

The arrival of the Selati males, the death of Mr. T and the flight of Makulu and Pretty Boy.

Watch

ArticleMarch 2012

Lion Warfare: Mapogo vs. Southern Males

Londolozi Blog — Adam Bannister

Reports the first clash between the last three Mapogos and the Selati (Southern) males, with photographs of Pretty Boy’s wounds.

View

Photo storyNovember 2012

The Week in Pictures #60

Londolozi Blog

Photographs of Makulu and Pretty Boy back on Londolozi, feeding on a buffalo in their last months together.

View

ArticleApril 2013

Legend Lives On: Mapogo Lions over the Last Year

Sun Safaris — Chloe Cooper

The story of Makulu and Pretty Boy after Mr. T’s death, with a portrait of Pretty Boy by Adam Bannister.

View

Sources

Where sources disagree, the most widely reported figure is shown, with other reports noted beneath it.

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