The Social Cat
Most wild cats are known to be solitary mammals, but there is one exception—the lion. Lions have captured the attention of many because of their exciting sociality. Lions are group hunters; other cats are solitary hunters. Lions live in groups; other cats live alone. In their article “The Short Happy Life of a Serengeti Lion”, Quammen, David, and Michael Nichols explain that these cats are “the only feline that’s truly social” (60).
One common movie in today’s society, “The Lion King”, portrays the lion as the “King of the Jungle.” Many humans view lions as vicious, roaring animals that are the top of the food chain. Lions actually will “rarely attack a being human without provocation”(Lions). What we don’t realize is that lions are seen as the “King of the Jungle” because they are protecting their pride, or group they are a part of.
A pride generally consists of three to thirty lions. According to a magazine article, “African Lion”, from the National Geographic, “ Prides are family units that may include up to three males, a dozen or so females, and their young. All of a pride’s lionesses are related, and female cubs typically stay with the group as they age” (“African Lion”). Female lions, or lionesses, will typically stay with one pride their entire life. When a young male lion ages, he will eventually leave his pride and go establish his own pride(s). Young males will sometimes wander for years until they are strong enough to lead their own pride. Generally the adult males of a pride aren’t related to the other lions in their pride.
A pride’s territory is typically around eighty square miles, but can also be more. Normally lions will choose their territory based on water and prey. Once they find a pla...
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... lions and lionesses are continuously interacting with each other within their own prides and when trying to find a new pride or “king [male to be the head of the pride]”. Sociality is probably the single most exciting aspect of lion life considering most other cats are nowhere near as social as the lion.
Works Cited
“African Lion.” National Geographic. National Geographic Society, 1996-2013. Web. 16 Nov. 2013.
“King of the jungle, forest, and savanna.” San Diego Zoo Animals. San Diego Zoo Global, 2013. Web. 14 Nov. 2013.
“Lion.” Animal Planet. Discovery Communications, 2013. Web. 19 Nov. 2013.
“Lion- Social Behavior.” The Big Cats. N.p. 2007. Web. 18 Nov. 2013.
Quammen, David, and Michael Nichols. "The Short Happy Life of a Serengeti Lion." National Geographic Magazine Aug. 2013.National Geographic Virtual Library. Web. 22 Nov. 2013.
This Safari, jungle experience is the main point of the predator versus prey and between the...
Soniak, Matt. “The Life and Times of the MGM Lion.” Mental Floss, 21 Oct. 2012. Web. 24 Feb. 2014. .
The Lion King is a story based around the betrayal of a king by his brother. The brother’s ambition of becoming the king leads to him killing the true and current king. In The Lion King, Scar betrays his brother by killing him to gain the throne for himself. Through Psychoanalytic Theory, it is clear that Scar feels shame because he is not the king and the next in line for the throne is his nephew. This shame eventually leads to Scar betraying his brother because of his ambition.
Sources used in this piece were interviews with zoo staff and also visuals in the form of photographs of the elephant. Unknown, “Hattie, Central Park Elephant, Dies; News Hidden to keep Sad Children Away.” The New York Times. November 20,
Primates have long been understood to have a distinct connection with other animals of its kind, perhaps one of the reasons why their behavior has been most often than not closely related to how humans interact in social groups. However, between different emerging species, it could be analyzed how competition becomes a vital part of the connection they share between each other. This is the reason why it was easier to preserve species of different kinds of primates even within the same locations of habitat. Cross-breeding was not that common among primates due to being highly territorial in nature. Male primates often direct their groups specifically having a distinct distance from other types of other primates. This is why preserving intact social groups among monkeys have been a distinct characteristic of the animal, giving them a greater chance of propagating and preserving their own groups surviving within a specific habitat. When instances of environmental imbalance occurs, primates often move as groups, hence bringing their whole clan and community along with them as they follow their leaders find viable locations to become their new home.
The monkeys in Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book are a very unique group of characters. They are viewed by the other animals of the jungle, or the Jungle People as they call themselves, as outcasts and outlaws. The most prominent chapter they occur in, “Kaa’s Hunting”, shows their lawless, shiftless, and uncivilized way of life. This image in itself does not give off any racist undertones.
Lions have relatively short-legged, long, muscular bodies and large heads. The male grows on average to 1.7 to 2.5 m (5.6 to 8.2 ft) long, not including the tail, which is 90 to 105 cm (36 to 41 in) in length. It stands 1.23 m (4 ft) high at the shoulder, and it weighs 150 to 250 kg (330 to 550 lb). The mane, which covers the head and neck, sometimes extends to the shoulders and belly. The mane will vary in color and length; well-fed, healthy lions have longer, fuller manes. Females are smaller but equally muscular. Lions vary in color from golden to brown. The mane of a male lion will vary from black to yellow. Both sexes have retractable claws to keep them sharp when they are needed. Lions have wide powerful jaws. The lions roar, which can be heard by humans up to 9 (5.6 miles) kilometers away, is usually uttered before the animals hunt in the evening, after a successful hunt, and again in the early morning.
The characters in The Lion King closely parallel Hamlet. Simba, the main character in The Lion King, embodies Hamlet, He is the son of the King and rightful heir to the throne. The King of the Pridelands, Mufasa, parallels Hamlet Senior, who is killed by the uncle figure. In The Lion King, the uncle is Scar, and in Hamlet, the uncle figure is Claudius. Laertes, the henchman and right-hand man of Claudius, becomes, in the movie, the Hyenas, Bansai, Shenzi, and Ed. The Hyenas collectively act as hero-worshippers to Scar, loyal subjects, and fellow doers-in-evil. They support Scar completely, just as Laertes supports Claudius. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are the comic reliefs of Hamlet, and in The Lion King, this role is fulfilled by Timon and Pumbaa, who are a meercat and warthog, respectively. Both sets compliment each other, complete each other's sentences, act as caretakers to Hamlet/Simba, and are comical to the point of being farcical. The role of Horatio, Hamlet's right-hand man, is fulfilled in The Lion King by Nala. Nala concentrates on the aspect that Simba is the rightful King and that it is his responsibility to ascend to the throne. She is his best friend and someone whom he trusts. Just as Horatio loyally follows Hamlet, Nala is completely loyal to Simba. Not only are there ties of friendship, but there is also an element of respect and reverence in both friendships. Horatio and Nala both know that they are friends and loyal followers of the rightful king.
In “Attack of the Man-Eaters” the lions are in a tragedy because they are struggling to survive. The lions needed to eat to stay alive. In the text it states, “They were naturally aggressive animals with a variety of problems-injuries, drought, and a shortage of prey (19).” In Tsavo during this time there was a drought, which caused a lot of animals to move out, causing a shortage in the amount of prey for the lions. One lion was also suffering from a mouth injury which made it hard for it to eat larger animals.
lion cub that is now to be king is forced to leave his Pride Land by
Being a carnivorous predator, the cat needs some sort of play outlet besides its usual habitat or the owner may become the object of play predatory aggression.
Lemonick, Michael D. “Who Belongs in the Zoo?” Time. Time, 11 June 2006. Web. 12 Dec.
More than 90 percent of primate species live in African, Asian, and Neotropic rain forests. Any outside force that alters the size and structure of these forests will directly affect primate populations. The major players that cause habitat...
The Lion King is a movie created by Disney and was released in the summer of 1994. It is about a pride of lions that uphold the cycle of nature, or as they call it “the circle of life” (The Lion King, 1994). The lion pride is considered royalty within the “Pride Lands” and are just and fair when it comes to hunting only what they need. A young prince named Simba is introduced and he is next in line to be the future king. However, Simba’s uncle Scar had other plans. He believed that it was his right all along to be named future king and wanted all of the glory to himself. Eventually, Scar comes up with an elaborate plan to rid the Pride Lands of Simba and the current King, Mufasa and take the throne for himself.
Sikes, Roberts. and William L. Gannon. "Guidelines of the American Society of Mammalogists for the Use of Wild Mammals in Research." Journal of Mammalogy 92.1 (Feb. 2011): 235-253. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 5 Oct. 2011.