Lion
Introductions
Greetings and salutations, Lion Lover! I am Asha (she/her) of the Serengeti plains. People often assume we lions are lazy, and yes, we do a lot of “lion” around 16-20 hours a day! But there is so much more to us than just our lounging! For example, we grow up and live in loving family groups. Learning to navigate these familial relationships grants us social skills that are unique among big cats.
Our female pride stays constant while the males regularly oust each other. That means lionesses like me are around for the long haul despite the guys 500 pounds (225 kilograms) outweighing our 350 pounds (160 kilograms). So, while it may give you “paws,” I’m in the perfect position to share our “tail”.
Fast Facts
Where We Live
We live in sub-Saharan Africa, primarily Eastern and Southern Africa. While most of us live within or near a wildlife sanctuary, our protected areas are often bordered by hunting concessions. The offer of a good meal can draw us to the other side, which leaves us vulnerable to trophy hunters.
IUCN Status
West African lions are listed as critically endangered but overall, we are
considered vulnerable due to:
- Habitat loss leading to fragmented populations and a depleted food base.
- Human-lion conflict due to real or perceived threats to livestock.
- Poachers seeking to sell our bones and other body parts (just ewww!). We also get caught in their snares meant for other animals.
CeLEBRITY LION
Cecil was a beloved lion in Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park, cherished by locals, safari guides, and the Oxford University researchers that had tracked him for seven years. Because of Cecil’s growing social media fame, a trophy hunter targeted him and lured Cecil out of his protected sanctuary to the neighboring hunting concession. His death triggered an international reaction and drew attention to our plight. Rest in peace, Cecil! You were gone before your time, but your legacy (including this website) is worthy of a lion’s pride. For more information, check out Cecil’s Wikipedia page.
World Lion Day
is August 10!
Fun Fact
Nature is so accommodating! My compatriots in the Kalahari Desert have precious little water and obtain moisture by eating Tsamma melons. In the Serengeti, we sometimes roll in herbivore poop, which has hormones that provide stress relief and other health benefits.
Lion Social Structure
Prides are the core of our social system. As lionesses, we form lifelong, affectionate relationships with our moms, aunts, siblings, and cousins. My pride of lady lions includes Adia, Akina, Amani, Amara, Anna, and Ayanna (aka the “A” team). None of us are the alpha female. Instead, we tackle challenges as a group and feed our family, raise cubs, and defend our territory together.
Male lions also form lifelong coalitions with their brothers and cousins. They work together to take over a pride and share their territory. Because life as a nomad is so hard, they may find other lions to partner with if they have no relatives.
Three to five prides make up a Serengeti neighborhood. And while each family has a distinct territory of 40 square miles (65 square kilometers), we run into each other regularly given the close proximity. Tension between prides is intense and given the opportunity we are not above trying to injure or kill members of these other families. There is strength in numbers, so being part of the larger group keeps you safer and in the best territory.
Growing Up Lion (I’m not ‘lyin’!)
In the Beginning
My brothers, Abel and Aden, and I were born during the wet season. We began our lives weighing 3 pounds (1.3 kilograms) each and blind as little bats. Check out this short video to see what we looked like as newborns. We were helpless without Mom, but she stayed with us full-time until our eyes opened 5 days later. After that, each night she’d stash us in the high grass and depart for a while. We three cubs would hide together until she’d issue a soft roar to let us know she was back. As soon as we saw her, we’d run to her. Then she’d lick each of us from top to bottom and we’d all curl up to rest together.
By the age of 3 weeks, we were walking like pros. Sometimes Aunt Ayana or Aunt Amani would visit. I loved the extra attention and contact I got when they did.
A few weeks later, we got to meet the rest of the pride. I tried to be brave but when two older cubs approached me, I ran with my brothers for cover. After a little while, I came out of hiding to sit with Mom. Aden joined us, but Abel wouldn’t come out. The next time the other cubs came closer, we hissed at them. They retreated 10 feet (3 meters) and then laid down. After a few hours, I took the bold approach and moved closer to them. But when they looked at me, I ran back to the safety of Mom. It took the rest of the day, but eventually me and my brothers touched noses with the other cubs and made our first friends.
As we were able to keep up with the pride, we spent increasingly more time with them. We met Dad too! We didn’t see him much since he was busy guarding the territory to keep us safe. But when we did, he’d give us a gentle nuzzle. In my joy, sometimes I’d see a stick or an interesting piece of bark and would pick it up and shake it. Or I’d bound up a tree and slide down the trunk.
Crèche-ing It
When we were 3 months old, we joined the two cubs we met on our first foray with the pride – Amara and Anna – to form a crèche. That’s fancy talk for a nursery where we’re raised as a group by all the moms. A few weeks later, Asani joined us. The six of us cubs had so much fun together! At dusk, we’d be the first to rise so we could chase each other around the nearby bushes. Our playful nature was contagious and sometimes the whole pride would join in our game. Mom was fun to hang with too! When she’d rest, I’d climb up her side and then slide down. Other times, she’d swish her tail, and I’d try to pounce on it.
Within the crèche, Mom would groom and nurse mostly Abel, Aden, and I but sometimes our aunts would tend to us too. All our moms remained nearby most of the time. One or two moms would leave for a while during the night, but they almost always left at least one mom to watch over us.
As we got older, we’d spend a few hours each night with the pride. After that, our moms would hide us in the tall grasses while the adults hunted and ate. Afterwards, one mom would come fetch all of us cubs to join them. There often wasn’t much left to eat by the time we arrived. But when Dad was present, he did his best to make sure we cubs had a decent portion of the meal.
By the time I was 6 months old, Mom expected me to keep up with the pride – no matter how much I mewed in protest at the faster walking pace. But I watched and learned from the adults and when I was 11 months old, I regularly joined them for hunts. Within a few months, I got my adult canines and could help take down a meal with others. By 16 months, I could hunt small animals like gazelles by myself and by two years I could tackle even larger animals alone. One time, though, I mistimed my charge on a kudu and took a horn to my side. I limped my way back to the pride and the others took care of me until I could hunt on my own again, even licking my wounds to help them heal.
Part of Pride
By the time we were two, Amara, Anna, and I were full-fledged members of the pride. The boys, Abel, Aden, and Asani remained with the family for another six months. But then our older pridemates started attacking them and they quickly departed together. They stayed in our territory for a year before setting off to take over one of their own. As a coalition of three, they had no problem securing a pride with optimal space.
Adulting, Lion Style
Coalition Transition: The B-Boys Era
After our brothers left, life settled into a pleasant routine. But before things got too comfortable, something huge happened. It started one day when I noticed three new lions in the distance. They advanced until they approached the pride. Several of us roared in protest. Dad and his coalition partner came running to see what the trouble was. The three new lions ganged up on the two of them and a vicious fight ensued. Before long, the new lions chased our dads away and then returned to the pride. They had scratches and bites all over their faces but stood their ground with us.
Ayana and Amani both had cubs located nearby. During the fight, they raced to protect them from the lions. Alas, the new boys sniffed them out and then snuffed them out. The mood of the new group was uneasy for the next several days. But the A team rolled with the punches and quickly accepted the new coalition.
We dubbed the new lions, brothers Bakari, Baraka, and Benson, the B-Boys. I noticed that Bakari, in particular, had a thick, dark mane that ran down his legs and across his back. That told me he was very healthy. When he began sniffing my rump and guarding me, I knew he would be my “mane man” as we were starting the mating game. For the next several days we got amorous often while the rest of the pride ebbed and flowed around us. After four days, things went back to normal, but the pattern repeated itself every three weeks.
Lion Etiquette
Within our families, we abide by the etiquette concept of ownership. When a coalition member guards a lioness during the mating game, his peers do not violate the union. The rule also applies to feeding and females especially respect the ownership attributed to the one that first clamps down on a spot.
Cubbing It
Six months after the B-Boys arrived, I found myself secretively selecting a den site in the rocky outcrops we call kopjes. There, I gave birth to two cubs: Ally and Alton. I shifted our den site every few days, carrying one and then the other by the scruff of the neck. And after spending the first week with my babes, I took opportunities to leave them hidden in the tall grass while I returned to the pride or captured a meal for myself.
When Ally and Alton were 6 weeks old, I gave a soft grunt to let them know they should follow me and then raised my tail high and flicked it so they could find me in the tall grass. I led them to the pride to introduce them to the family. Alton was a bit of a handful. When we reached the group, he beelined for Barkari. His dad immediately showed his canines so I could tell he wasn’t in the mood to babysit a wayward cub. I grunted to Alton to come to me and nosed him away to safety.
Amara and Anna had cubs at the same time I did, so we pooled them together once they reached three months of age. I was very bonded with the other moms as we collectively raised our little ones. I enjoyed playing with the cubs too, like when I’d lay gently on top of Ally and Alty and let them squirm their way out from under me. They loved to climb on top of me too. I mostly ignored that but would cuff them lightly when it got to be too much.
Occasionally, we’d hear the roar from another pride or the squeal of a hyena clan. Each time, I counted to see how many were in the other group. Usually, our pride exceeded the others, which calmed me but one day we weren’t so lucky. Anna, Amara, and I were all with the cubs when a neighboring pride surrounded us. We roared to call our own pride. Luckily the “lion-hearted” B-Boys were nearby; I knew they would all give their lives to keep our cubs safe. As we waited for them to arrive, we positioned ourselves between the others and our cubs. The other pride members jumped me but luckily our reinforcements arrived before it went any further. With the strength in numbers now on our side, the other pride backed away. Afterwards, my family took care of me and soon I was back in fighting shape.
As Ally and Alty grew, I took them on hunting expeditions. By the time they were 18 months old, I had trained them in everything they needed to know. As a female, Ally was recruited to join the pride. Alty stayed with us until he was 3 years old then left with his male cousins to seek their own pride.
A Roaring Success
Our roars carry 5 miles (8 kilometers) and since we are usually within 3.7 miles (6 kilometers) of our pridemates, we tend to be within shouting distance. Roars are often a group activity, so when one pridemate roars, others do as well. This advertises our full strength and warns rivals to stay away.
As the twins became adults, I noticed Bakari once again. We played several more rounds of the mating game and soon Aadila and Akida were born. The dry season that year was the worst I’d lived through. There was barely enough food for the adults, and we lost all the pride cubs to starvation. The B-Boys headed for greener pastures shortly after that. Their first-born daughters like Ally were reaching the age when they would soon be mating. They also had no cubs to protect so nothing held them here.
New Boys on the Block: The Choalition
The A Team was on its own for a while until Chacha, Charles, Chitanga, and Chike arrived, or as we called them, the Choalition. Because our pride size increased, we were able to extend our territory.
As the wet season returned, another “big cat-astrophe” occurred. I was taking a little me-time and woke to find myself surrounded by several members of another pride. I roared for my pride while the other lionesses surrounded me. They took turns lunging at me and as I’d turn to defend myself, someone else would strike. I was losing badly when Chaca and Chitanga showed up. They roared at the intruders until they backed away from me and left. I was wounded, but my pride guarded me and kept me fed until I was better.
Lion Lingo
While roars are our most well-known sound, we also growl and snarl to say don’t come any closer. On the less aggressive side, we chuff to signal friendly intentions. We communicate through our facial expressions too. For example, because we don’t like it when other lions stare at us, we avert our gazes with our pride members. We might stare at a rival, though. When combined with a lowered neck and twisted ears, we are saying ‘leave me alone or I’ll attack.” Similarly, we express anger when we bare our teeth or lash our tails up and down.
As I regained the bounce in my step, I played the mating game with the Choalition. Whichever male first noticed I was ready would guard me during our time together. Six months after they joined our group, I gave birth to two girls: Asmara and Atiena. Once again, Amara and Anna had litters around the same time, so we joined forces when the cubs were three months old. Five of our girls survived to adulthood. Because the pride could not absorb that many new members, our daughters eventually left together to start a new pride on the outskirts of our territory.
And so, life moves forward on the Serengeti. Every year or two, I’ll be wounded – most likely while hunting or by another pride. Every three to six years, a new coalition of males will oust the old one. And through it all, every day I will “paws-itively” hum with pleasure while spending time with my family. Even after I’m gone, I know the pride will continue, living in the best territory that we call home.
A Typical Day for Me as an Adult
Life in the Serengeti rolls with the seasons. We subsist during the May through October dry season, as the heat vibrates over the plains, fires sweep the area, and water sources dry out. We eat when and what we can. In November, the rains return, and just as suddenly, lush green grass carpets the plains. The new growth draws migrating wildebeest and zebra herds back to the area and we feast throughout the wet season. It is against this backdrop that I spend my typical days.
Marking Our Territory
Not only do we patrol to keep other lions out of our territory, we communicate our “do not enter” message with scent. We spray leaves and trees and scrape the ground with our hind feet near our borders. When one pride member does this, we all join in to create a scent post. As a group, we reinforce our point by clawing and rubbing our heads on trees.
I Love the Night Life
I rouse in the evening as the temperature begins to cool, surrounded by my pride of lady lions and our cubs. Occasionally, one or more members of the presiding male coalition join the group. As we wake, we stretch and greet each other with head rubs, gently touching our cheeks to reinforce how much we care. We cluster together to groom each other for an hour, moving in such sync that when Adia yawns, we all yawn in response.
Once we’re cleaned up, it’s time to play! I especially love to jump on tree branches and then chase and stalk Amara and Anna. As the fun winds down, we rest for another hour. By 9:00 p.m., we’re ready to head out, but only after we reaffirm our bonds with more head rubs.
While the coalition boys patrol our territory to keep intruders out, the A team breaks into smaller groups for the night. Sometimes I hang out with Adia, Akina, and Amani while others I’m with Amara and Anna or Amara and Amani. We mix it up every night and over the course of several days, I spend time with everyone in the pride. Whoever I’m with, we amble for an hour and then rest.
Dinner is Served
When we get moving again, it’s time to seek out dinner. On average, we spend 20 minutes a night on this endeavor and eat every other day. We use our superior night vision and sense of smell to guide us and often that leads us to where animals gather to drink at the convergence of the two rivers. We take cover in the tall grass and wait. Moonless nights are the best as the darkness conceals us.
After a short while, I spy a gazelle apart from its herd. Because I saw it first, it’s up to me to catch it for the group. I stealthily move into position and rush it in a surprise attack. My group and I share the small snack, but I’m still hungry after our rather meager meal. Tonight, we’re in luck as we locate a more robust meal plan – a water buffalo. We call to the pride to join us because this larger, more dangerous animal requires a coordinated attack. As the others arrive, we assume our hunting positions. Amara and Anna charge in from the right side while Adia and Akina charge from the left to funnel them towards the center where I am waiting. We all roar to announce our success and call our remaining pride members to join us for dinner.
The pride does the “lion’s share” of the hunting, but the coalition boys eat first. We all vie for the best position and may even snarl and slap each other, although we’d never really hurt a family member. Vultures soon descend to seek our scraps, and their presence is a dinner bell for other predators in the area. We eat as fast and as much as we can. No one else arrives tonight but we regularly rumble with other prides over a meal.
Settling in for the Day
After we eat, I slip off for a little solitude. I nap until I hear Anna roaring. It’s dawn and she’s inviting the pride to regroup so we can sleep as a unit during the coming day. I roar in response and hear others do the same. As we come together, we greet each other with head rubs, and quickly groom ourselves before enjoying a little play time. Each of us hum because we’re happy to be together.
Shortly after dawn, we settle down to rest. Even in sleep we enjoy physical contact, so we lay back-to-back or drape a paw over our neighbor. We spend the day snoozing under a shaded tree and shift every few hours to remain in its shadows.
How You Can Help Us.
We face the typical terrestrial threats. Because we have lost 95% of our historical range, one of the best ways to help us is by supporting groups that are preserving or extending our habitat, including through corridors. It’s especially helpful when a nonprofit works with the entire landscape to improve depleted food sources. Other teams do the important work of reducing human-lion conflict, often by employing warriors that used to hunt us. Finally, other nonprofits work to reinforce protected areas, remove harmful snares before they hurt one of us, and otherwise prevent illegal activity like poaching.
Returning the Favor.
Since you’re considering how to help us, I want to return the favor. Sometimes life delivers you a boon, while other times it’s a sucker punch. We lions may remember the past, but we live in the moment so we can enjoy a consistently happy life. I know it’s important for humans to express their emotions, but after you do, your life might be more peaceful if you concentrate on the right now like we do. Also, we demonstrate every day how much more you can accomplish when you work with your loved ones. Try cooperating with others around you whenever you can – I know you’ll be stronger together.
For more information on lions, read Wonder of Lions by George & Kay Schaller. Or, if you’re looking for something more scientific, the best read is Craig Packer’s The Lion. If you’d like to experience lions in-person, some of your best bets are the San Diego Zoo & Safari Park, Tanganyika Wildlife Park, and London Zoo. If you’d like to watch lions remotely, try the Smithsonian’s National Zoo Lion Cam.
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References
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