In Touch With Nature – Lionesses, the queens of the savannah #lionesses #wildlife

Last month, I discussed the role of male lions in the pride. If you missed it, you can read it here: https://writingtoberead.com/2024/02/28/in-touch-with-nature-the-vulnerable-life-of-male-lions-wildlife-lions/. This month I’m talking about female lions.

Lionesses are the primary hunters within the pride. They hunt in groups of three to eight females, all of whom are usually related. Lionesses display exceptional teamwork during hunts, deploying strategic hunting techniques, such as coordinated flanking and ambushing, to outmaneuver their prey. Their synchronized approach increases the likelihood of a successful kill. Lionesses, working together, are able to take down a target twice their size. Lion prey includes zebra, wildebeests, buffalo, antelope and other grassland animals.

Lions will kill other predators including leopards, cheetahs, hyenas and African wild dogs. They do not eat them as the flesh of other predators is not nutritious. Lion predator kills are purely to remove competitors for food and territory, as well as threats to the lions young. In particular, lions actively kill leopards as leopards kill and eat their cubs.

This is my video of this lioness kill:

Lionesses are known to be excellent mothers and will go to great lengths to ensure the survival of their cubs. Lion mating is polygamous and takes place all year round. The dominant male will copulate with multiple females within his pride. Lionesses are receptive to mating for three or four days within their variable reproductive cycle and during this time they will mate frequently, up to fifty times per day. Female lions have the ultimate say in deciding which lion they will reproduce with. Lionesses observe the males carefully, accessing their physical condition, strength, and overall fitness, before committing to a partnership. Lionesses are also not monogamous and can mate with multiple lions during their estrous cycle, although it has been observed that approximately two-thirds of these mating events occur with the primary male, with the remaining third being distributed among multiple males from the peripheral coalitions of that primary male. This means that a single litter can have cubs from different fathers. Lionesses in the same pride often breed around the same time and the resultant cubs are raised together.

My video of lions mating:

Lionesses are pregnant for 105 to 112 days, during which time her belly will grow larger, and her nipples will enlarge and darken. Just before giving birth, the lioness will begin to look for a safe and secure place to give birth. Once she has found a suitable spot that is hidden from predators and close to water, she will start to build a den using grass and other materials. The actual birth is relatively quick, approximately 1 hour, and between two and four is the usual number for a litter.

The cubs are born blind and helpless and rely on their mothers to protect and care for them. During the first few weeks of their lives, the cubs feed on their mother’s milk and she only leaves them for short periods to hunt.

My video of lion clubs:

Last month I said that male lions commit infanticide and can kill the cubs of other males. Given that lionesses are fiercely protective of their cubs, why do they not defend their cubs from lions? The answer is simply that male lions are much bigger and more aggressive than lionesses. Challenging a male lion is risky for a lioness as it could lead to the serious injury or death of the lioness, as a result, in this situation the lioness will prioritise her own survival and the wellbeing of the rest of the pride over the survival of her cubs.

If you are interested in seeing more of my photographs, videos and artworks relating to Cats, please enjoy this stunning post created by the talented Resa McConaghy. Resa and I share a love for wildlife and a passion for conservation.

Lion Lust by Robbie Cheadle

Sidling up beside her
He strokes her shoulder
In a gesture of affection for his mate
He quickly mounts her
For the eighteenth time
***
She walks quickly away
He meekly follows
Lying down face-to-face in her chosen spot
A short period of rest
Before the next round
***
They will stay together
For twenty-four hours
Mating every twenty to thirty minutes
Despite his high demands
She lovingly purrs

This poem is from my book Lion Scream, Syllabic Poetry About Southern African Wildlife.

About Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Award-winning, bestselling author, Roberta Eaton Cheadle, is a South African writer and poet specialising in historical, paranormal, and horror novels and short stories. She is an avid reader in these genres and her writing has been influenced by famous authors including Bram Stoker, Edgar Allan Poe, Amor Towles, Stephen Crane, Enrich Maria Remarque, George Orwell, Stephen King, and Colleen McCullough.

Roberta has two published novels and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories included in several anthologies. She is also a contributor to the Ask the Authors 2022 (WordCrafter Writing Reference series).

Roberta also has thirteen children’s books and two poetry books published under the name of Robbie Cheadle, and has poems and short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.

Roberta’s blog features discussions about classic books, book reviews, poetry, and photography. https://roberta-writes.com/.

Find Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Blog: https://wordpress.com/view/robertawrites235681907.wordpress.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RobertaEaton17

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robertawrites

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Roberta-Eaton-Cheadle/e/B08RSNJQZ5

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