The lion (Panthera leo) has a number of characteristics that differentiate it from the other wild predatory cats of the world. With larger prey such as buffalo, single lions do not even bother to attack. One of the key differences is its social behavior. Talk about machismo and here you have it. Mountain lions or cougars as they are known in western Canada. They are in fact up to 30% faster, reaching top speeds of up to 45mph. When African lions hunt alone they are successful in one out of six attempts. A lioness lies in wait for her prey. However, what most people are not familiar with is that Lionesses are in fact, the primary hunters in a Lion pack. Threats to survival Unlike females, males generally hunt alone. While some lions are nomadic and prefer to travel and hunt individually or in pairs, most lions live in a social organization known as a pride. Normally animals hunting in this way are closely related, and with the exceptions of chimpanzees where only males normally hunt, all individuals in a family group contribute to hunting. The Lions and Lionesses are Social Wild Animals and they are characterized by the formation of “Prides” or a Family of Lions, Lionesses and Cubs who are closely related to one another as an extended Family of Cousins and near blood relatives. A pack of lions can use a number of strategies to catch their prey. Why do lions hunt in packs? Though female Lions may be physically smaller than the male Lions, they make up for it in speed. Young lions do not help to hunt until they are about a year old. Getting together to mate then split again. The dominant male is the first to have a share of the Kill. They prefer to stalk their prey in areas of dense vegetation and at night to take advantage of the darkness. This is partly attributed to their efficient hunting strategies. They can hunt alone quite successfully but when they hunt as a pride (not a pack) some take on the role of driving the prey to others waiting a head in ambush. Lions usually hunt at night, either alone or in packs. Lions will hunt alone if the opportunity presents itself, and they also steal kills from hyenas or wild dogs . How Do Lions Hunt? The Lions it is said are the kings of the Jungle. The lion thus does not need as much organization as the lionesses who hunt in herds. A pack hunter or social predator is a predatory animal which hunts its prey by working together with other members of its species. Don't normally travel or hunt in packs. They live basically alone. Lionesses hunt around 90 percent of the time, while the males protect their pride. Lionesses do the job of hunting to a pack. hunting in the Serengeti, revealing that cooperation is common during hunts on larger and more difficult prey and that cheating is more common during communal hunts where the success rate of solitaries is high. Lions in the semi-arid environment of Etosha Nation- al Park, Namibia, occur at low densities (2.8 lions The female may have one or two kittens and will allow a female kitten to stay close to her for up to two years. Lions are not the fastest animals and sometimes their prey runs faster than they do. Whether in hawks, chimps, lions, sharks, groupers or wolves, cooperative hunting should only be able to evolve when the benefits outweigh the risks and the cost of going it alone… Sometimes the pack appears to split up, with some members pursuing prey animals into an ambush set by the others. However, when they hunt as a group their success rate goes up to one in three. 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