A startling bit of information on one factor (there are others) in how the pride has been thinned over the years
"the death of one male lion can have drastic effects on the whole pride. A new male comes into the area and takes over the pride, killing all the cubs and possibly some of the females defending their cubs.
So we've estimated that from 20 to 30 lions are killed when one lion is hanging on a wall somewhere in a far-off place."
A startling bit of information on one factor (there are others) in how the pride has been thinned over the years
"the death of one male lion can have drastic effects on the whole pride. A new male comes into the area and takes over the pride, killing all the cubs and possibly some of the females defending their cubs.
So we've estimated that from 20 to 30 lions are killed when one lion is hanging on a wall somewhere in a far-off place."
They may be painting a bit of a dire picture. A) This domino effect will only occur when an alpha male is killed. B) When the new alpha male kills the cubs, the females soon go into estrus and are capable of having cubs sooner than they would otherwise.
Anyway, the more we can do for conversation the better.
Sigh...yet another damn stupid thing to add to dwindling numbers of the species >:-|.
Originally posted by DrAchoo:
They may be painting a bit of a dire picture. A) This domino effect will only occur when an alpha male is killed. B) When the new alpha male kills the cubs, the females soon go into estrus and are capable of having cubs sooner than they would otherwise.
Anyway, the more we can do for conversation the better.
Yes, understood BUT you will still have the female lion fight for her cubs and if the new alpha male is overaggressive then not only does the cubs die but the female dies too. Less females means the population will suffer especially since there are the other factors of people hunting lions, disease, etc. The factor of hunting lions needs to be removed from the equation and a lessening in the human-predator conflicts (cattle farming) so that the population can return to a healthy number.
What is most startling is that 50 years ago the number was at 450,000 now they think the number is as few as 20,000
Sigh...yet another damn stupid thing to add to dwindling numbers of the species >:-|.
Am I missing something? Are Lions on the endangered species list? I am guessing not because there would be no lion tacos. So if they are not, why not? Assuming the numbers are alarmingly low...
What is most startling is that 50 years ago the number was at 450,000 now they think the number is as few as 20,000
Well, if those numbers are true, there's no arguing with that, is there? Pretty depressing.
Yes, it is depressing possibility that years from now lions and other major big cats might only exist in zoos (that is if nothing is done) As for the validity of the numbers I am sure that they have/will do an official count; be it National Geographic or a government wildlife organization for they will need those numbers to help reverse the effects of the damage done.
