The African lion usually lives in a group. This has to do with increasing their chances of survival. Within this group there is a certain hierarchy. This is a ranking that creates different roles. For example, the lionesses are largely responsible for hunting. To catch food, the animals work together as teammates. This gives them the ability to kill large and fast animals.
The behavior of the African lion
- The habitat of the lion
- Group behavior
- The hunt
The habitat of the lion
The lion is found in almost the entire African continent. Here it occurs in the savannas, lightly wooded areas and grassy plains. It is rarest in the north and west of the continent. These are areas in which it also occurred frequently in the past.
The Persian Lion
However, there are lions in the wild that are not found in Africa. These are the Persian lions. They are also known as the Asiatic lions. They only occur in the “Gir Forest”. This nature reserve is located in Western India. A lot of effort has saved the species. The Persian lion is smaller and lighter than the African lion. A Persian female lion can reach a weight of up to 150 pounds. However, an African female lion can reach a weight of 182 pounds. Persian male lions can grow to a maximum of 250 pounds. However, an African male lion can weigh 280 pounds. The Persian / Asian species also lives in smaller groups than the African variety.
Group behavior
Lions are the only felines that live in a group. They do this to ensure that their chances of survival are increased. They have their own territory. A group consists of one alpha male and several lionesses with offspring. The male only stays with the group for three to four years. When they are no longer part of the group, they roam alone or with other males. However, lionesses stay with the group their entire lives.
The different roles within the group
Male lions have a different role than the lionesses. One male lion ensures the protection of the entire group. Lions of the female sex are largely responsible for obtaining food. This makes these animals the most active. When the animals are not hunting, they ensure that as much energy as possible is saved. They do this by resting together under the shade of a tree. There is a strict hierarchy within the group.
Competition
When the group encounters another male lion, they fight for the position of power. If the outsider becomes the new alpha male, this can have negative consequences for the cubs present. These can be killed by the outsider. When the cubs are killed, this ensures that the females become fertile again.
The hunt
Lions hunt alone or in a team. When they hunt as a team, they work together effectively to capture their prey. The predators largely hunt for large mammals such as wildebeest, African buffalo and zebras. These animals weigh between fifty and three hundred kilos. However, the Persian lion hunts deer. The lion is forced to hunt for smaller species when food is scarce. When the African lions hunt for buffalo or wildebeest, the predators need to be extra careful. These animals have the ability to seriously injure the lions. They have sturdy horns on their heads and can use their hooves to give predators a hard kick. Usually lionesses ensure that the animals are chased towards a certain place. In this way, the flock is entrained. Here the prey animals are waiting by other lionesses. Large prey such as cattle are strangled during such an attack. Smaller mammals can easily be killed by the predators by biting the neck or head, for example.
The distribution of the food
About eighty percent of the food is caught by lionesses. However, the (adult) male lions are the first to eat the food. The lionesses and cubs are only allowed to eat the remains that remain. Male lions that do not belong to a group do not have this advantage, however. This makes these animals more difficult to survive. They are forced to catch their own food. Predators obtain about half of the food through hunting. Lions are partly scavengers. Lions often chase a group of hyenas to take over their food. Because lions are at the top of the food chain, there is little chance that other animal species will need to be fought for food.