Lions’ Hunting Ways & Diet

The lion is a generalist hypercarnivore[96] and usually hunts in groups. Its prey consists mainly of mammals,
particularly ungulates, with a preference for wildebeest, zebras, buffalo, gemsbok, and giraffes in
Africa[97] and chital,sambar deer, nilgai, wild boar, chinkara and chousingha in India.[98] Because of its wide prey
spectrum, the lion is considered to be an apex and keystone predator.[99] African lions prefer prey weighing 190–550 kg
(420–1,210 lb).[97] They generally avoid fully grown adult elephants, hippopotamuses and rhinoceroses, as well as very
small prey like dik-dik, hyrax, hare and vervet monkey.[100] However, Thomson's gazelles may be
hunted[101] andwarthogs are often taken depending on availability, despite being below the preferred weight range. [97] In
many areas, a small number of species may make up around three-fourths of the lion's diet. In Serengeti National Park,
wildebeest, zebras and gazelle are the majority of prey.[102] In Kruger National Park, giraffes are the most common
prey.[103] In Manyara Park, Cape buffaloes constitute as much as 62% of the lion's diet.[104] In the Okavango Delta, with its
strong seasonal changes in prey, up to eight species may make up three quarters of a lion's diet.[102] Occasionally adult
hippopotamus are taken at Gorongosa National Park and calves are commonly hunted at Virunga National Park. In
addition to size, the aquatic nature of hippos makes them normally unavailable as prey. [96] The lions of Savuti, Botswana,
have adapted to hunting young elephants during the dry season, and a pride of 30 lions has been recorded killing
individuals between the ages of four and eleven years.[105] Lions also attack domestic livestock and in India cattle
contribute significantly to their diet.[73][98] Unusual prey items include porcupines and small reptiles. Lions will kill other
predators such as leopards, cheetahs, and hyenas, but they seldom devour them.[106]
Young lions first display stalking behaviour around three months of age, although they do not participate in hunting until
they are almost a year old. They begin to hunt effectively when nearing the age of two. [107] Single lions are capable of
bringing down prey like zebra and wildebeest, which can be twice their own weight, while hunting larger prey like
giraffes and buffalo alone is too much of a risk. Cooperative-hunting lions are usually successful.[88][101] In prides,
lionesses do most of the hunting.[88] In typical hunts, each lioness has a favoured position in the group, either stalking
prey on the "wing" then attacking, or moving a smaller distance in the centre of the group and capturing prey in flight
from other lionesses. Males attached to prides do not usually participate in group hunting. [108] However, some evidence
suggests that pride males are just as successful as females; they are solo hunters who ambush prey in small
bush.[109] Lions are not particularly known for their stamina – for instance, a lioness' heart makes up only 0.57% of her
body weight (a male's is about 0.45% of his body weight), whereas a hyena's heart is close to 1% of its body
weight.[110] Thus, they only run fast in short bursts,[111] and need to be close to their prey before starting the attack. They
take advantage of factors that reduce visibility; many kills take place near some form of cover or at night. [112] In addition,
since lions are such ambush hunters, humans farming in the vicinity have recently found that lions are easily
discouraged if they think their prey has spotted them. To protect their cattle from such attacks with that knowledge in
mind, farmers have found that all that they have to do is simply paint eyes on the hindquarters of each cow, which is
usually enough for hunting lions to think they are spotted and move to easier prey. [113]
The attack is short and powerful; they attempt to catch the victim with a fast rush and final leap. The prey usually is
killed by strangulation,[114] which can cause cerebral ischemia or asphyxia (which results in hypoxemic, or
"general", hypoxia). The prey also may be killed by the lion enclosing the animal's mouth and nostrils in its jaws (which
would also result in asphyxia).[64] Prey is typically eaten at the location of the hunt, although large prey is sometimes
dragged into cover.[115][116] Lions tend to squabble over a kill, particularly the males. When food is scarce, cubs tend to
suffer the most but otherwise all pride members can eat their fill, including old and crippled ones which can live on
leftovers.[88] There is more sharing of larger kills.[117] An adult lioness requires an average of about 5 kg (11 lb) of meat
per day, a male about 7 kg (15 lb).[118] A lion may gorge itself and eat up to 30 kg (66 lb) in one sitting;[119] if it is unable to
consume all the kill it will rest for a few hours before consuming more. On a hot day, the pride may retreat to shade
leaving a male or two to stand guard.[115] Lions will defend their kills from scavengers like vultures and hyenas. [88]
Lions scavenge on carrion when the opportunity arises. They scavenge animals either dead from natural causes like
diseases, or were killed by other predators, and keep a constant lookout for circling vultures, being keenly aware that
they indicate an animal dead or in distress.[120] In fact, most carrion on which both hyenas and lions feed upon are killed
by the hyenas instead of the lions.[64] Carrion is thought to provide a large part of lion diet.[121]