In a lion herd, usually only an adult male lion can become the leader of the lion group, and it also has the right to breed and lead, and therefore they are often called “” Lion King”.
However, in field observations, biologists often find that there are other male lions of different ages and sizes coexisting in the same lion group. Then some people also question whether the new and old lion king can coexist peacefully in the same lions?
Lions are the only big cats that live in groups, which gives them the ability to hunt with a high success rate against large ungulates. At the same time, group hunting also means a greater need for food, which creates pressure and incentive for lions to hunt large prey.
The structure of the lions
Lions often form a herd of lions and take the lion king as the core, many people think that in the lions there is only one lion king, but in fact, in a herd of lions, there will be from one to three cubs. adult male lions and they can all be called “lion kings”. Other male lions approaching adulthood will be removed from the lions, or they will form their own “roaming lion” herds.
This social structure seems to be quite stable in field observations and can effectively maintain the stability and order of lion groups.
The most impressive thing about lions is that they often live in groups, in which there can be many males in the herd, while tigers are completely different, male and female tigers often live independently of each other. In fact, lions and lions usually only stay together in the savannas of East Africa. Most documentaries are also filmed here. In South Africa, West Africa and parts of Asia, lions often live in separate unions of male and female lions.
Lion’s behavior
The lion is a typical big cat with many behaviors similar to other cats. For example, they are nocturnal animals and often forage at dusk and dawn.
Lions are always at the top of the food chain, often hunting large mammals such as buffalo, zebra and antelope. In the lion herd, the female lion is usually in charge of hunting and the lion king will be the first in the herd to eat the prey.
Adult lions can cut part of their original territory to their offspring, and adult male cubs that are kicked out of the herd will often form alliances and build a colony together. for myself.
Competition between lions
In the social structure of lions, the competitive relationship between different male lions is very fierce. Female lions often choose to mate with the strongest male lions to ensure that their offspring have better genetics.
As a result, the males in the herd are often competitive and vying for the chance to have reproductive rights and leadership. This type of rivalry is also common in field observations, and many lions will be injured or killed in fights with other male lions.
The big cats originally lived in the forest, but the lions later came to the grasslands of Africa, where the habitat is open. This open environment helps to bridge the gap between animals and is conducive to enhancing the social nature of animals.
The possibility of coexistence of the new and old lion king
Considering the above social structure, behavioral habits and competitive relationships, the following conclusion can be drawn: the new and old lion kings may not be able to coexist peacefully in a lion pack.
First of all, the social structure and competitive relationships of lions determine that only the lion king has the right to breed and lead. If the current Lion King is still alive, the new Lion King can only gain these rights by defeating it.
This type of competition can result in injury or death of the lion, adversely affecting the stability and survival of the whole lion group. The defeated lion king can only leave the original lions to find his own way out.
Second, even if the new lion king successfully defeats the old lion king, it is unlikely to have a strong foothold in the lions. Lions are highly social animals, and they often live in families and form tight groups.
If the new lion king is not accepted by the lioness in the pack, she can be removed from the lions by other lions and become a “roaming lion”.
Due to many factors such as the social structure, behavioral habits and competitive relationships of lions, the ability of new and old lion kings to survive in the same lion population is very limited.
Lions are social animals and often live in pride. In the lion group, only the adult male lions have the right to breed and lead, and the soon-to-be-mature male lions in other groups will be excluded from the lion herd.
Therefore, if new and old lion kings coexist in a lion herd, it can lead to stiff competition and instability of the lion herd.