The Importance Of Lionesses

598 Words2 Pages

Lions are the only true sociable cat and have been known to live in prides consisting of up to 40 members. Within a pride are related lioness (females), offspring, and a few lions (males). The social behaviors within a pride differ by sex as lions are responsible for mating with lioness and protecting the pride’s territory while females are responsible for rearing and hunting in addition to the males’ job – protecting and defending. Unlike many other female animals, lioness display egalitarianism or equality amongst one another. Their behavior serves as an advantage because their equality results in equal access to mating with males within the pride. The consequence to this behavior deems benefits that increase the species’ fitness. One not so obvious benefit is that the offspring are, subsequently, born synchronously. The synchronous arrival of offspring leads to “creching” of cubs which reproducing mothers collectively nurse. Not only is this consequence a benefit for the cubs, due to the fact that it allows for an abundance of rearing, it also allows for greater protection agains...

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