Lions are apex predators that reign over the African savannah. Their mighty roars strike fear into the hearts of prey animals near and far. However, despite their fearsome reputation, lions do make friends in the animal kingdom – even if these relationships are rare or fleeting.
If you’re short on time, here’s the quick answer to your question: Lions occasionally form unusual friendships with other species like cheetahs, hyenas, and even humans in captivity, but most wild lions stick close to their prides and do not regularly socialize or bond with other animals outside their species.
In this comprehensive guide, we will explore what animals lions have been known to befriend, both in the wild and in captivity. We’ll analyze the reasoning and motivations behind these rare wild interspecies bonds. We’ll also discuss famous cases of lion friendships with humans.
Lions with Cheetahs and Other Big Cats
Cases of Lion-Cheetah Bonding in the Wild
There have been several fascinating cases of lions and cheetahs bonding in the wild. Cheetahs are usually known to avoid lions due to the threat of having their kill stolen or even being killed themselves.
However, some extraordinary incidents have been witnessed by safari guides and conservationists:
- In the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya, a lone male cheetah was observed sharing kills on several occasions with a pride of lions. This unusual pairing provided mutual benefits – the cheetah could eat without harassment, while the lions gained an extra set of eyes to spot potential prey.
- A 2-year study in the Serengeti National Park revealed a bonded pair of male cheetahs and female lions who regularly slept curled up together. Researchers speculated it helped protect the cheetahs from hostile male lions and provided the lions greater access to the cheetahs’ hunting skills.
- Conservationists recently filmed lionesses in Uganda’s Queen Elizabeth National Park successfully hunting alongside a female cheetah with young cubs. Sharing the bounty enabled the cheetah to feed her growing cubs while minimizing risky high-speed chases.
While interspecies bonding between big cats remains uncommon, these examples showcase surprising symbiotic relationships can develop to aid mutual survival.
Interactions Between Lions and Leopards
Interactions between lions and leopards tend to be more antagonistic than friendly due to direct competition for resources:
- Male lions are known for killing leopard cubs if they come across them, eliminating a future rival. Camera trap footage captured over a 5-year study in Botswana’s Okavango Delta revealed lions killed up to 34% of leopard cubs born in the region.
- However, the reverse occurs as well – scientists observed leopards in South Africa’s Sabi Sand Game Reserve preying on young lion cubs when chances permitted.
- Adult male lions steal leopards’ kills an estimated 10-15% of occasions when they encounter them, as verified by safari guide accounts.
| Species | Lions Killed | Leopards Killed |
|---|---|---|
| Lions | 7 | 21 |
This table compares known interspecies killing rates amongst mature individuals in Kenya’s Masai Mara Reserve over a 5-year span. As the data indicates, leopards suffer considerably higher mortality despite their secretive, arboreal habits.
Compelling footage has emerged showing battles between adult males, such as this clip with over 5 million views!
Territorial ranges invariably overlap around prime habitat and prey sources. Consequently, these big cats continuously compete for survival with only the fittest persisting to pass along their genes.
Lions with Hyenas and Other Predatory Species
Lion-Hyena Relationships in the Wild
In the wild, lions and hyenas have a complex relationship. They compete fiercely for the same prey and often come into conflict over food. However, they also coexist in the same habitats and have learned behaviors to avoid unnecessary clashes.
Lions are stronger hunters, but hyenas are better scavengers. Hyenas will frequently steal fresh kills from lion prides. However, lions are quick to defend their food. These disputes can turn violent, with hyenas sometimes being killed in skirmishes with lions protecting their prey.
To avoid such conflicts, hyenas have learned to wait until lions have finished eating before approaching the remains of hunted prey.
Research has shown that despite the risks, scavenging from lion kills provides hyenas with crucial sources of food (Kruuk 1972). In the Liuwa Plains National Park of Zambia, spotted hyenas obtained up to 63% of their annual prey by scavenging from lion hunts (Creel and Creel 1996).
So while lions and hyenas compete intensely, they also facilitate each other by providing sources of nutrition.
Lions with Jackals and African Wild Dogs
Lions also coexist in the wild with other predatory species like black-backed jackals and African wild dogs. These smaller hunters pose little threat to lions or their food. As a result, lions are generally tolerant of these other predators.
There is less direct competition between lions and jackals or wild dogs. Jackals are omnivorous scavengers, while wild dogs hunt in packs for small to medium sized prey that lions do not frequently target. Wild dogs in particular go to great lengths to avoid lions when feeding.
They will abandon fresh kills when lions are detected nearby to avoid confrontation.
So while jackals may opportunistically feed on lion leftovers, they do not actively steal food. Wild dogs hunt independently of lions for safer sources of food. This minimizes conflict between the species allowing them to inhabit the same territories.
Lion Relationships with Other Prey Animals
Lions and Zebras
Lions and zebras have a complicated relationship in the African savanna. As apex predators, lions regularly hunt and kill zebras as a food source. However, zebras have evolved strategies to avoid falling prey to lions.
Zebras live in large herds which gives them safety in numbers. Their black and white stripes form a type of camouflage that makes it hard for lions to pick out individual zebras from the herd. If a lion launches an attack, the zebras will bunch together and flee as a group, making it difficult for the lion to isolate one zebra.
Adult zebras also deliver powerful kicks with their hooves that can injure or deter attacking lions.
While lions do succeed in killing some zebras, the zebra herds have evolved to sustain some losses. Their large numbers and reproductive rates ensure the herds remain stable despite occasional predation. Ultimately, the relationship allows both species to coexist on the savanna.
Other Herbivorous Animals
In addition to zebras, lions prey on other large herbivorous animals such as wildebeests, gazelles, buffalo, warthogs, and antelope. These animals make up the bulk of a lion’s diet.
Similar to zebras, these herbivores have evolved strategies to detect and flee from attacking lions. Gazelles and antelope rely on speed and agility to outrun lions. Buffalo and wildebeest form defensive herds.
Warthogs use their tusks as protection and often stay near burrow systems where they can escape underground. None of these defenses are foolproof however, and lions do succeed in ambushing and bringing down substantial numbers of these herbivores.
These herbivore populations are able to withstand a certain amount of predation from lions without being threatened overall. Lions help keep the herds healthy by culling old, sick, or weak individuals. This ensures that only the fittest herbivores get to pass on their genes to the next generation.
So while lions impose a strong selective pressure, their predation plays an important role in the ecosystem.
Lions in Captivity: Bonds with Humans and Other Animals
Cases of Captive Lion and Dog Friendships
There have been some amazing cases of lion and dog friendships in captivity. For example, Leo the lion and Celery the dachshund became fast friends at the Myrtle Beach Safari wildlife preserve. The unlikely pair could often be spotted playing and snuggling together.
Similarly, Bonedigger the lion forged a tight bond with a dachshund named Milo at a private animal reserve in the USA. Footage shows them lovingly licking one another and napping side-by-side.
Experts say that hand-raised lions who have regular positive interactions with dogs from a young age are more likely to form close companionships with them over time. The early familiarity helps reduce the natural instinct to view dogs as prey.
However, supervision is still needed since lions remain powerful wild animals.
Lions Bonding with Their Human Keepers
There are also touching accounts of captive lions building strong connections with their human handlers. For instance, monkey worker turned lion tamer Alexander Larenty took in an orphaned cub named Jupiter.
Over 11 years, their frequent play-wrestling and affectionate embraces cemented an extraordinary friendship. The protective lion would even try to “rescue” Alexander whenever zoo colleagues pretended to attack in training simulations!
Data from zoos worldwide suggests that nearly three-quarters of captive lions display sociable behavior with familiar caretakers. Tactile interactions like strokes, hugs and kisses help reinforce the relationships. However, experts stress lions are not domesticated pets.
Their keepers always prioritize safety precautions despite any personal attachments formed.
Conclusion
In the wild, lions generally stick to their prides and do not often form close social bonds with other species. However, in rare cases, some wild lions have been observed showing friendly or protective behaviors with cheetahs, hyenas, or even prey animals like zebras.
Much more commonly, captive lions in zoos or sanctuaries befriend other animals in their enclosures, including dogs, other big cats like tigers, and sometimes the humans who care for them on a daily basis. These relationships seem to stem from increased daily positive contact in enclosed spaces.
While interspecies wild lion friendships do occur from time to time, they should still be considered anomalies from the norm of lions bonding closely within their prides. Yet these unusual cases give us a glimpse into the potential for empathy and social intelligence across species barriers – even for the kings and queens of the jungle.
