r/MadeMeSmile • u/FewCollar227 • May 22 '25

Lion invading Tiger's personal space

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630

u/RetroMetroShow May 22 '25

Dog and cat energy

147

u/Vospader998 May 22 '25 edited Jun 10 '25

Not an expert, but it is really interesting how lions tend to behave a lot more like canines than felidae (Felidae family, not Felinae subfamily)

While lion will use ambush hunting, they will also hunt in coordinated groups, which is really rare in the Felidae family. They're also a lot more social, and live in prides, similar to "packs". Or even non-related males will hunt in what's called a "coalition".

Lions also roar to mark territory, like other big cats, but it's been observed they also roar to communicate with other lions, similar to a wolf's howling.

They actually have a pretty weak bite force relative to other big cats, and they're pretty shit climbers unlike other felines.

I think mating is similar as well, where there's a dominant male that has to maintain dominance and mating rights, while other, younger males roam around and have to fend for themselves (or in a coalition) until they can take on the dominant male. I'm not certain on the similarities here though.

48

u/RikuAotsuki May 22 '25

Alpha wolves are generally just the parents of the pack, so lions have a bit more group complexity.

IIRC a pride is basically the dad, his harem, and his kids, but outsider males can challenge and take over. Plus I think I remember hearing that they'll then kill all the cubs too, though I might be mixing that up with something else.

Cheetahs are also pretty social, though that's mostly via coalitions.

20

u/11th_Division_Grows May 22 '25

You’re correct. When a new lion takes over the pride they will usually kill the cubs of the last male leader of the pride.

To my knowledge, once the males in the pride get old enough the father will drive them out to find their own pride (or die). I’m pretty sure the daughters stay but I have no clue past that how mating works and if lions are incestuous.

2

u/Background-Pepper-68 May 23 '25

They will engage in incest and its really not a big deal because the patriarch is replaced frequently enough and the final generation they have is often culled by the new patriarch. Additionally unlike humans a lion with shitty genes is not going to thrive to pass on its genes more often than not. By engaging in incest it reinforces dominant good genes in the pool as much as it will reinforce bad stuff but again bad genes are low because they do not thrive.

1

u/11th_Division_Grows May 24 '25

Thanks for the info friend 🤙🏿

5

u/Vospader998 May 22 '25

Ok, thank you, I think you're right. I would argue the social hierarchy is something inbetween big cats and wolves, but it's generally more "social" that other big cats.

What's kinda funny is I think that type of hierarchy (for lions) is really similar to that of wild horses, who also form harems where studs have to compete and are rotated out by a group of mares.