Lions are apex predators and the kings of the jungle. But do these fearsome hunters ever prey on their own kind? Cannibalism is actually quite common in the animal kingdom, especially among carnivores when food is scarce. So do lions eat other lions?
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: Yes, lions sometimes eat other lions. Cases of cannibalism usually involve male lions killing and eating lion cubs or vulnerable, weak, or injured adults. But it’s relatively rare compared to their normal prey.
In this detailed article, we’ll explore why and how often lions eat their own species. We’ll cover key topics like infanticide, territorial fights, starvation, and whether lionesses ever eat male lions.
By the end, you’ll have a thorough understanding of the complex factors behind this unusual lion behavior.
Infanticide Among Male Lions
New Leader Kills Existing Cubs
When a new male lion takes over a pride, it will often kill any existing cubs that were sired by the previous dominant male. This ensures that the new male’s genes are passed on rather than those of its predecessor.
Shockingly, researchers have found that on average, a staggering two-thirds of cubs under 1 year old perish as a result of infanticide when new males take control of a pride. This is because lactating females will not come into heat while nursing cubs, so killing off the cubs brings the females into estrous faster and enables the new males to breed their own offspring.
Ensures Gene Propagation
By committing infanticide, the incoming males are essentially wiping the slate clean and ensuring that it is their genes that are propagated with the pride lionesses. This provides an evolutionary advantage as it maximizes the spread of their genetic material to the next generation.
Though horrifying, this practice actually strengthens the species over time by removing weaker genetics. The lion cubs most likely to survive into adulthood and breed are those fathered by the strongest, most dominant males.
Main Motivation Behind Cub-Killing
The data backs up the hypothesis that infanticide primarily serves to quicken the time when females can conceive the killer male’s cubs. An eye-opening analysis found that in prides where no new males had recently taken over, the mortality rate of cubs under 1 year of age was just 11%.
However, in prides that had undergone a takeover in the previous year, an incredible 64% of cubs perished. Additionally, females whose cubs were killed resumed cycling and became pregnant much faster than those allowed to wean cubs naturally.
| Cub mortality when no new males took over pride | 11% |
| Cub mortality after male pride takeover | 64% |
So while difficult to witness, the killing of existing progeny by incoming males has persisted evolutionarily as an extremely effective strategy to spread their seed. It’s a brutal eat-or-be-eaten world out on the African savannah! 😳
Territorial Battles Between Males
Fights for Dominance
Male lions are extremely territorial and frequently engage in vicious fights to gain control of prized territory. These battles determine which lion will reign over a pride and father its cubs. According to zoologists, these fights are initiated when a nomadic male lion enters an established pride’s territory hoping to take it over from the resident male.
The defending male lion makes the first move, strutting towards the intruder with head held high in a show of dominance. With mane bristling, he lets out an ear-piercing roar to intimidate his opponent.
The challenger responds with his own intimidating roar before the two launch at each other, crashing together in a storm of fur, claws and gnashing teeth.
Loser Lion Killed and Eaten
These battles often last just a few minutes, but can persist for hours until one male admits defeat by rolling onto his back. However, the winner does not usually let the losing lion walk away freely – instead, while the loser lies exhausted on the ground, the victorious lion clamp his jaws around his opponent’s throat resulting in suffocation and death.
In a gruesome display of cannibalism, the winning male then devours his fallen opponent. Shocking video footage has captured such incidents of lions practicing cannibalism.This video shows a male lion snacking casually on the carcass of another male he had defeated and killed just hours before.
Strengthens Winner’s Control of Territory
The act of cannibalism serves to strengthen the victor lion’s hold on his newly won territory and pride. By consuming his defeated rival, he destroys competition for mating rights and prevents future threats from the loser’s bloodline.
The gruesome sight of the dominant lion feasting on the remains also reminds subordinate pride males to steer clear of confronting his authority.
Statistics from notable lion conservation groups like Panthera reveal that males defend their territories fiercely, with takeovers happening every 2-3 years on average. Losing a fight means death, as the victorious usurping male kills all cubs sired by the loser.
This triggers the females to go into estrous again, letting the victor lion mate and pass on his genes – thereby cementing his ruler status.
Starvation and Preying on the Weak
Lions Take Advantage of Vulnerable Prey
When food is scarce, lions will opportunistically prey on vulnerable individuals that would normally be off limits. Cubs, sick or injured animals, and elderly members of a herd make for easy targets when normal prey cannot be found.
Lions are adept at identifying and zeroing in on any animal displaying weakness. This allows them to conserve energy and take down prey with minimal effort and risk.
A healthy adult zebra or wildebeest is typically too dangerous for a single lion to tackle. However, if drought or disease has weakened the herd, lionesses may strategically pick out malnourished or limping individuals to isolate and attack.
Rather than expend energy chasing the healthy adults, lions capitalize on the weak stragglers that lag behind the herd.
Cubs or Injured Adults Targeted During Famine
When prey animals are scarce, lion prides also sometimes turn on their own vulnerable members. Elderly, sick, and injured lions may fall victim to the rest of the pride during times of extreme food shortage. Lionesses will also occasionally kill and eat cubs from other females within their pride.
Infanticide allows the aggressors to bring the victimized mothers back into breeding condition more quickly so they can produce their own offspring.
Both male and female lions have been observed eating cubs. Females may kill cubs sired by a rival pride member to make way for their own genetic lineage. Males may prey on cubs to bring the mothers into estrous for their own breeding purposes.
While difficult to observe, infanticide is believed to be a relatively common occurrence when resources are severely limited.
| Age of Cub Victims | Percent of Cub Mortality |
|---|---|
| 0-6 months | 41% |
| 6-12 months | 37% |
| 12-24 months | 22% |
Stats source: Infanticide in lions: Consequences and counterstrategies
Last Resort When Normal Prey is Scarce
While shocking, lion cannibalism serves an important purpose in the ecosystem. Turning on vulnerable pride members helps strong adults survive long enough to reproduce when resources are scarce. Preying on isolated or infirm individuals from other species also conserves energy during lean times.
Cubs and weak lions essentially provide emergency backup food when regular prey cannot be found.
However, lions will avoid cannibalism and intra-species killing whenever possible. Elderly pride members are still valued for their wisdom and experience. And cubs represent the future survival of the pride.
Killing vulnerable pride mates always risks injury, so dominant lions will only stoop to cannibalism as an absolute last resort when famine leaves no other options.
Lionesses and Male Lions
Male Infanticide Drives Maternal Defence
Male lions will often kill cubs that are not their own offspring. This practice, known as infanticide, ensures the lionesses will come into estrus and bear the male’s cubs instead. To protect their cubs from infanticide, lionesses band together in prides and defend the youngsters fiercely.
Lionesses will chase, bite, and swat males who approach cubs that are not their own. Researchers have witnessed lionesses fighting males to the death in defense of their offspring.
Rare Accounts of Lionesses Killing Males
While male lions frequently kill cubs, it is exceedingly rare for lionesses to kill adult male lions. However, a few isolated cases have been documented. In one instance at the Mfuwe Lodge in Zambia, a male lion was injured in a fight with another male.
While recovering from his wounds, three lionesses in the pride turned on him and killed him. Researchers believe they did this to protect their cubs, as injured males can become targets for takeovers and infanticide by rival males.
In another case in South Africa’s Kruger National Park, a lioness was documented killing an adult male in an ambush. The male had previously killed her cubs. Her actions were believed to be retribution for the male’s infanticide.
Instances like these illustrate that while rare, some lionesses will go to extreme lengths to protect their young.
Not for Food But Protection of Offspring
When lionesses do kill within their own species, it is almost always the defense of cubs rather than for food. Male lions are far larger than females, so taking one down requires teamwork by multiple lionesses.
Eating the male would not provide much nutritional benefit compared to hunting easier prey such as antelope and wildebeest. Mother lions will bravely defend against any threats to their cubs, including from male lions within their own pride.
While female-on-male killings are uncommon, experts advise tourists to keep a safe distance from any lion prides with cubs. Lionesses in defense mode will treat humans as potential threats. By giving them space, observers can appreciate the fierce maternal devotion of lionesses safeguarding the survival of the next lion generation.
How Often Does Lion Cannibalism Occur?
Infanticide Most Common Form
The most common form of lion cannibalism is when an adult male lion kills cubs that are not his own. This behavior, known as infanticide, allows the male to bring the female back into estrus (heat) so he can sire his own cubs with her.
Infanticide is estimated to account for up to 68% of cub mortality in wild lion populations (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0003347205803071). An incoming adult male will often kill all cubs under 1 year old when taking over a new pride.
Females will come back into heat within days or weeks, allowing the new male to pass on his genes rather than spend resources caring for another male’s offspring.
Still Relatively Rare Next to Normal Prey
While infanticide is common in lion social dynamics, actual cannibalism of consuming other lions is still relatively rare compared to their normal prey like zebra, wildebeest, or antelope. Man-eating lions who turn to human prey are even rarer, with most estimates finding fewer than 100 man-eaters in a century.
Starvation and lack of normal prey certainly play a role in driving any big cat to turn to cannibalism or man-eating behavior as a desperate last resort.
Estimates of Frequency Vary by Location
How often lions eat other lions likely depends on the specific conditions and prey availability in a given habitat or region. One 2007 study in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe found that over an 8 year period, lions killed and consumed 11 lions from 5 different prides, representing 2.3% of overall lion mortality in the park.
The authors noted that “Man-eating appears to have been more common than cannibalism,” suggesting cannibalism was relatively rare there. More research would be needed to quantify frequencies in other parks and reserves where conditions and factors like prey density differ.
Conclusion
In summary, while acts of cannibalism do occur, lions eating other lions is relatively uncommon compared to their normal prey. Male infanticide and territorial fights account for most cases, with lionesses rarely attacking males.
Though gruesome, lion cannibalism ultimately serves an evolutionary purpose – ensuring gene propagation and resources for the pride. Next time you visit the savannah, rest assured the lions are likely hunting wildebeest, not each other.
