Szent Istvan University, Wildlife Ecology                                                                 2006-05-14

 

Caroline Lillrud, Sofia Nälgård

 

 

H.Bauer, H.H De Iongh and I.Di Silvestre (2002). Short communication. Lion( Panthera leo) social behavior in the West and Central African savannah belt.

 

A study has been made about lions social behaviour in west and central African savannah belt.

The number of lions were described unknown but probably declining (1996). Two independent surveys stated a lion number in this region to 1750 and 3978 respectively. Combining the estimated numbers with protected area size, the lion density in East was below 1 and everywhere else below 5lions/100km². The low density has a high correlation with low prey density. The experiment will give us the information about lion social behavior in correlation to ecological conditions.

 

The core concept is that the lions are the highest level of the organization. The organization among lions is that 10-20 lions produce a pride, each composed of groups containing 3-6 lions.  Each pride has a special territory, defended by 1-3 males.

 

Two types of data were collected. Firstly the specific information on interaction between five lions was obtained by monitory movements via radio collars( Three females and two males) . They were tracked, and observed 291 times from 1999 to 2001. If there was a level of oraganization higher than the level than the small groups, their interaction was rarely seen. The overlap of the homeranges of the collared lions was substancial, but still the lions was hardly ever observed together. The three females were only observed once together. One never encountered the other ones again, whreas the other two were observed together at eleven occations. At the other 71 obervation fixes they were solitary. But the two females could be observed without the other, but with male 1 at short mating periods. Male 2 was not observes in presence of other collared lions.

Between 1999 and 2001 male 2 was observed with two uncollared females at several occations.

 

This states that the pride is generally composed by a resident female, her offspring and an attending males, sharing an area and having a peaceful interaction. Typical behavior includes patrolling, communal cub rearing and diffrent coalitions between males. Male 1 and the three females could be considered members of one pride. Male 2 took over another pride in a different area. In this social system in this area, the word pride should be redefined, based on too small number of individuals and their frequency interaction.

 

 In Kalahari and Etosha a study was also made, and the outcome was the same. Based on this, the researchers formulated three hypotheses about ecological factors influence on lions social organization in Western and Central Africa.

Firstly small lion-group size coulb be caused by the low prey density. Secondly low mean prey body size could also explain the small lion group size. When no large prey species was present, their advantage of cooperative hunting was in negative correlation by the agression caused during feeding. Thirdly small lion group size could also be a result of high per capita livestock consumption. Exponential increasing surface ratio with linearly decreasing surface is the so called edge-effect, which generate a higher interference between lions and cattle.

 

We have no reason to assume that there is a regional subspecies with different innate social behavior, and expect to find the explanation by continued ecological research