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Nature | Animals | Self
The Side Of Lions You’ve Probably Never Seen
The savage life they live isn’t without highly peculiar adaptations.
I was 200 meters away when the first lion roared.
It wasn’t what I expected. It’s less like a roar and more like a deep, guttural rumble, that vibrates your skin and cuts through your body.
It’s not unpleasant. It’s beautiful and, by design, intimidating. It’s how males measure each other’s strength from a distance.
As part of my ongoing passion for wildlife, I began studying lions years ago and realized — this already popular species is still highly underrated. Those with a curiosity for nature and wildlife will appreciate these findings.
Mane color matters — a lot
His cowardice aside, the black-maned villain from The Lion King, Scar, would be highly desirable among female lions.
Researchers discovered that darker manes are correlated to higher testosterone, which produces coveted traits: aggression, physical strength, and the ability to protect pride. It also allows a lion to recover quicker from injuries.
When a male is sick or old, his mane is among the first things to show side effects…
