The Lion: Behavior, Ecology, and Conservation of an Iconic Species

Description

An authoritative, accessible, and gorgeously illustrated exploration into the lives of these remarkable animals Lions are the only social cat. They hunt together, raise cubs together, and defend territories together against neighbors and strangers. Lions also rest atop their ecological pyramid, with profound impacts on competitors and prey alike, but their future is far from assured. Craig Packer interweaves his discoveries from more than forty years of research―including a substantial body of new findings―to provide an unforgettable portrait of the African lion. He shares insights into the intricacies of lion life from birth until death and describes efforts to conserve lions in an increasingly crowded continent. With a wealth of breathtaking photographs by Daniel Rosengren, The Lion sheds light on a host of intriguing scientific questions, such as why males have manes, why lions are social, how sociality limits and stabilizes lion populations, how close inbreeding affects lion health, why lions become man-eaters, how lions and people can best be protected from each other, and how to ensure the lion’s survival into the next century. Engagingly written by the world’s foremost expert on African lionsIntegrates a wealth of findings from two of the most comprehensive field studies on any animalFeatures hundreds of stunning photographs that capture a broad range of lion behaviors, ecological interactions, and conservation challengesBlends vivid field anecdotes and graphics to give the reader a sense of adventuring into the lion’s world Cover Contents Preface 1. Introduction A Lion Primer Key Points 2. Lion Social Structure The Basic System Social Dominance Reproductive Success Pride Persistence versus Coalition Longevity Key Points 3. Infanticide and Expulsion After the Storm Synchronizing the Reproductive Clock The Academic Politics of Infanticide Key Points 4. Cub Rearing From the Den to the Crèche Nursing Behavior Non-offspring Nursing across Mammals Babysitting What about Grandma? What Keeps the Crèche Honest? Littering It’s a Girl! It’s a Boy!! It’s Three Boys and a Girl . . . Key Points 5. Mating Competition and Paternal Care Within-Coalition Competition One for All and All for One? Why Are Large Coalitions So Rare? Father(s) of the Pride I Love You, Dad, but . . . Key Points 6. The Lion’s Mane Manes and Wounding Manes versus Male Quality What Do the Lions Think? Why Lions? Why Manes? Key Points 7. Foraging Behavior Background Hunting in Groups—or Not . . . But Do They Cooperate When They Are Together? Key Points 8. Intergroup Competition Intergroup Conflict Blood on the Tracks War Games of the Sexes Intergenerational-Intergroup Competition Groups Begetting Groups—of Both Sexes Key Points 9. The Evolution of Lion Sociality The Three Rules of Lion Real Estate The Landscape of Female Sociality Pride Size Revisited The Origins of Male Sociality The Lion: The Paragon of Group Living Key Points 10. Population Regulation Serengeti: Tracking Lions in a Changing Environment Top-Down Population Regulation: Predation, Infanticide, and Disease Ngorongoro Crater: Disease versus Density Keeping It in the Family Key Points 11. Interspecific Interactions Lions and Their Prey Aren’t Predators and Prey Supposed to Show Population Cycles? The Savanna Landscape of Fear Lions versus the Other Large Carnivores Lions, Hyenas, and Possible “Trophic Cascades” Lions versus Hyenas and the Evolution of Lion Sociality The Lion’s Place in the Web Key Points 12. Lion Conservation Infectious Disease Human-Lion Conflict Sport Hunting Bushmeat Hunting The Future Key Points Afterword Acknowledgments Appendix References Index