Social lions. Is Pride an advantage or a limitation?

Of all the representatives of the cat in the social groups are united only lions. Pride consists of 2-18 lionesses and several lions, one of which is necessarily the head of the whole large family. All these individuals are usually close relatives who have their own specific territory.

Who is the head in this house?

Lions in contrast to lions do not establish among themselves any hierarchical system. Another thing is the males, among them there is one most important and strongest lion, the leader qualities of which other individuals of the male have no right to challenge. Pride of lions (photo of the lion family you can see below) always has only one leader.

The dominant male has a number of advantages: he is the first to eat after a successful hunt, during the estrus the females first mate with them and first attack the enemy who invaded the pride territory.

Quite often young lions begin to pretend to be heads of families. Pride, as a rule, expels such males at the age of 2-2,5 years. Such individuals can create their own pride or live in proud solitude. However, it also happens that male brethren begin to live in a small group without females. Often, young single males, not burdened by the protection of the young and other members of the group, begin to seize other people's territory and lure several females there. If the lion captures the pride, then the first thing he does is kill all the lions. Females, unfortunately, rarely manage to save their cubs, only one-year-old lions have chances to survive. Pride after the expulsion of the former leader and the elimination of all the young ones is led by a new young lion.

In lionesses who lost their children, in 2-3 weeks the heat begins again. Thus, the new leader can quickly get his own offspring. Infanticide or killing young from the former dominant male is a very cruel, but at the same time forced measure. After all, if not to liquidate the small lions, the new leader will be able to acquire his children not earlier than in 2 years. Since the leaders of the lion's group are replaced every 2-3 years, he simply will not have time to produce and grow his offspring.

Advantages of Pride

Lions live pride mainly in order to increase the chances of hunting. Naturally, in the group, lions are more likely to get large prey (for example, buffalo or antelope). In addition, the life of the group allows the lions to guard the undernourished corpse from scavengers and spotted hyenas.

Pride also performs a protective function. Females in most cases give birth at the same time, the life of the community allows them to feed and protect the young. Often there are also situations when stray lions can come to the community. Pride immediately begins to jointly defend the small lions. With members of their pride, the lions are very courteous and affectionate, during the greeting they necessarily rub their faces.

On the other hand, in pride, a lion always has less food than if he lived alone. But even with this fact in mind, it's much safer to live in the community for lions.