Why Are Lions Important For Survival
Many species of animals use a variety of different methods to ensure the continued survival of their species. The desire for survival and prosperity is an instinctual trait that is shared universally among all animals. One particular species of animals that uses unique methods for survival are lions. Researchers have been fascinated with the way lions coexist with other lions and how they use each other for their own survival. One might not immediately assume that lions depend on coexisting with each other for survival. This is mainly because of the preexisting idea that lions are ferocious, powerful animals that rule over the animal kingdom. Numerous different aspects and arrangements are involved for the cooperation of lions to be possible.
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That is why it is necessary to learn the complex methods of how lions hunt and live together.
While lions might not seem like they would be the most cooperating animals, that could not be any less true. In fact, lions are the most socially active felines around (Packer & Pusey 1997). However, even though they are social and work well in groups, lions are incredibly selfish animals. The only reason they work in groups is to further each individual's personal gain. Lions only remain in groups as long as it is beneficial for them, once that is no longer the case, they have no reason to cooperate (Bailey et al. 2012).
Even though most lions are a part of groups, some lions actually survive on their own without any assistance. Research conducted in 1978 at Serengeti National Park showed that lions that survive completely on their own eat more food than lions that are a part of groups (Heinsohn and Packer 1995). One might be baffled on why lions decide to work in groups when they are able to have more food for themselves on their own. This is because food is not the only thing lions worry about to ultimately ensure their survival. They also remain in groups to ensure they are able to fend off enemies because safety comes in numbers (Bailey et al. 2012).
One of the main reasons lions work in groups is because of newborn cubs. On their own, lions struggle to raise newborn cubs because of the sheer amount of work that is required to properly raise them. Being in groups, or prides as they are more commonly referred to, allows female lions to share the workload of raising cubs with other female lions that are a part of the same pride. This group effort is almost essential in raising newborn cubs because without the help of a pride, the chance of newborn cubs reaching adulthood is slim. There are two main methods in which lions in a pride help each other raise young cubs. The first way is by female lions hunting and providing food for the pride. This of course ensures that all cubs are receiving the amount of food that is necessary for proper nourishment. Female lions also help out with the food situation by taking turns breast feeding the cubs in a pride. The reason they alternate is because breastfeeding is a tough task that leaves female lions drained without any energy to spare. The second method in which a pride helps raise cubs is by providing a safe environment for cubs. In particular, the pride protects cubs from other animals and especially from invading male lions that are not from the pride (Packer & Pusey 1997).
The manner in which lions hunt is a process that is quite intricate because of the complex nature that exists between lions in a pride. Many researchers at first believed that female lions in a pride always help each other when hunting for food, but that is not simply the case (Heinsohn and Packer 1995). If the prey is small, then the female lion who spotted it tackles it by themselves. Even if there are other lions around, they will not do anything if the prey can be hunted by one individual. What ends up happening is that the pride of lions will just lie and watch the single lion go after the easy prey. Once that lion manages to capture its prey, then all of the other lions come join to consume the newfound meal. What researchers find interesting about this is that the prey the individual lion hunts down is shared with the rest of the pride even though they did not help (Heinsohn and Packer 1995). On the contrary, whenever the prey is large or tricky to hunt, a group of female lions goes and hunts it together. Another aspect of the hunt that is unique is that if the pride of lions has cubs then they have two strategies when it comes to feeding them. If the prey was hunted near the pride’s home, then the female lions will bring the young cubs to the prey, so they are able to feast. If the prey was defeated in a remote location that is too far for the cubs to travel, then the female lions consume all of the meat. They do this so they can convert as much meat into milk which in turn allows them to feed the cubs properly for whenever they return from their hunt.
Lions are smart animals that are able to fend off most threats with the use of tactful teamwork. Researchers further added to this idea by conducting an experiment that tests the intelligence of lions by analyzing their ability on how quick they are able to determine if a lion is part of the pride. The researchers placed a fake lion near the pride and played sounds of a lion around the location. The results demonstrated that the male lion that approached the fake lion knew immediately that the fake lion was not apart of the pride. The lion demonstrated he understood this clearly by immediately attacking the fake upon seeing it. However, this intelligence is not just present in the male lions of a pride, but in the female lions as well. The researchers also found that lions are capable of knowing if they are outnumbered by just listening to an incoming invasion. They discovered this by alternating sounds of a fake attack that had varying amounts of roars. The pride would react to the different sounds accordingly by changing their formation of attack (Heinsohn and Packer 1995).
The male lion is a very polarizing individual in a pride of lions.
It all stems from the fact that male lions are quite vicious and are ready to fight off anything that is deemed to be unsettling by them. However, the main reason they are deemed to be dangerous is because of their behavior regarding cubs. Whenever a male cub starts to grow and mature they are kicked out by the older male lions that have been with the pride for a long time. The older male lions do this because they want to avoid any potential situation where the growing male cubs will try and overtake them. Once the young male lion leaves the pride, they attempt to find a new home where they can establish a pride of their own. The way these young lions start their own pride is by finding another pride where they are able to kill the ruling male lions. If the young lions successfully kill the lions from the pride they will become the new leaders. Once the takeover happens, the young male lions kill all of the cubs in the pride they just became leaders of. They do this because the main goal for male lions is to reproduce and to keep their genes going. The only way for them to do that is to get rid of the cubs, so the female lions are free to reproduce with them (Stander
1992).
Lions are undoubtedly fascinating animals that are quite unique in terms of the way they interact with each other. The prides formed by lions are arrangements that are created solely on the selfish desire of using others for their personal gain. Without the prides, lions would not be able to survive as well as they do today. The prides provide a steady flow of food and most importantly it provides a safe environment to raise young cubs.
That is why it is necessary to learn the complex methods of how lions hunt and live together.
While lions might not seem like they would be the most cooperating animals, that could not be any less true. In fact, lions are the most socially active felines around (Packer & Pusey 1997). However, even though they are social and work well in groups, lions are incredibly selfish animals. The only reason they work in groups is to further each individual's personal gain. Lions only remain in groups as long as it is beneficial for them, once that is no longer the case, they have no reason to cooperate (Bailey et al. 2012).
Even though most lions are a part of groups, some lions actually survive on their own without any assistance. Research conducted in 1978 at Serengeti National Park showed that lions that survive completely on their own eat more food than lions that are a part of groups (Heinsohn and Packer 1995). One might be baffled on why lions decide to work in groups when they are able to have more food for themselves on their own. This is because food is not the only thing lions worry about to ultimately ensure their survival. They also remain in groups to ensure they are able to fend off enemies because safety comes in numbers (Bailey et al. 2012).
One of the main reasons lions work in groups is because of newborn cubs. On their own, lions struggle to raise newborn cubs because of the sheer amount of work that is required to properly raise them. Being in groups, or prides as they are more commonly referred to, allows female lions to share the workload of raising cubs with other female lions that are a part of the same pride. This group effort is almost essential in raising newborn cubs because without the help of a pride, the chance of newborn cubs reaching adulthood is slim. There are two main methods in which lions in a pride help each other raise young cubs. The first way is by female lions hunting and providing food for the pride. This of course ensures that all cubs are receiving the amount of food that is necessary for proper nourishment. Female lions also help out with the food situation by taking turns breast feeding the cubs in a pride. The reason they alternate is because breastfeeding is a tough task that leaves female lions drained without any energy to spare. The second method in which a pride helps raise cubs is by providing a safe environment for cubs. In particular, the pride protects cubs from other animals and especially from invading male lions that are not from the pride (Packer & Pusey 1997).
The manner in which lions hunt is a process that is quite intricate because of the complex nature that exists between lions in a pride. Many researchers at first believed that female lions in a pride always help each other when hunting for food, but that is not simply the case (Heinsohn and Packer 1995). If the prey is small, then the female lion who spotted it tackles it by themselves. Even if there are other lions around, they will not do anything if the prey can be hunted by one individual. What ends up happening is that the pride of lions will just lie and watch the single lion go after the easy prey. Once that lion manages to capture its prey, then all of the other lions come join to consume the newfound meal. What researchers find interesting about this is that the prey the individual lion hunts down is shared with the rest of the pride even though they did not help (Heinsohn and Packer 1995). On the contrary, whenever the prey is large or tricky to hunt, a group of female lions goes and hunts it together. Another aspect of the hunt that is unique is that if the pride of lions has cubs then they have two strategies when it comes to feeding them. If the prey was hunted near the pride’s home, then the female lions will bring the young cubs to the prey, so they are able to feast. If the prey was defeated in a remote location that is too far for the cubs to travel, then the female lions consume all of the meat. They do this so they can convert as much meat into milk which in turn allows them to feed the cubs properly for whenever they return from their hunt.
Lions are smart animals that are able to fend off most threats with the use of tactful teamwork. Researchers further added to this idea by conducting an experiment that tests the intelligence of lions by analyzing their ability on how quick they are able to determine if a lion is part of the pride. The researchers placed a fake lion near the pride and played sounds of a lion around the location. The results demonstrated that the male lion that approached the fake lion knew immediately that the fake lion was not apart of the pride. The lion demonstrated he understood this clearly by immediately attacking the fake upon seeing it. However, this intelligence is not just present in the male lions of a pride, but in the female lions as well. The researchers also found that lions are capable of knowing if they are outnumbered by just listening to an incoming invasion. They discovered this by alternating sounds of a fake attack that had varying amounts of roars. The pride would react to the different sounds accordingly by changing their formation of attack (Heinsohn and Packer 1995).
The male lion is a very polarizing individual in a pride of lions.
It all stems from the fact that male lions are quite vicious and are ready to fight off anything that is deemed to be unsettling by them. However, the main reason they are deemed to be dangerous is because of their behavior regarding cubs. Whenever a male cub starts to grow and mature they are kicked out by the older male lions that have been with the pride for a long time. The older male lions do this because they want to avoid any potential situation where the growing male cubs will try and overtake them. Once the young male lion leaves the pride, they attempt to find a new home where they can establish a pride of their own. The way these young lions start their own pride is by finding another pride where they are able to kill the ruling male lions. If the young lions successfully kill the lions from the pride they will become the new leaders. Once the takeover happens, the young male lions kill all of the cubs in the pride they just became leaders of. They do this because the main goal for male lions is to reproduce and to keep their genes going. The only way for them to do that is to get rid of the cubs, so the female lions are free to reproduce with them (Stander
1992).
Lions are undoubtedly fascinating animals that are quite unique in terms of the way they interact with each other. The prides formed by lions are arrangements that are created solely on the selfish desire of using others for their personal gain. Without the prides, lions would not be able to survive as well as they do today. The prides provide a steady flow of food and most importantly it provides a safe environment to raise young cubs.