National Geographic “The Short Happy Life of a Serengeti Lion”
Posted 23 Aug 2013 / 0National Geographic “The Short Happy Life of a Serengeti Lion”
This article provides a great overview of the kind of work that Craig Packer’s research group does in the Serengeti to understand the social behavior of lions. There is valuable information here on why lions are social (unlike other large cats), why lions must cooperate, and how reproductive competition shapes the behavior of male lions.
The article is, however, very decidedly male-centric, and only briefly discusses the complex and interesting dynamics that rule female coalitions. Luckily, there is this great article to tell that story.
A Minor Post, Articles, Behavior, Behavioral Ecology, Carrying Capacity, Cooperation, Grasslands, Kin Selection, Predation, Reciprocity