Lions are the only cats to possess a mane, the thing that lions are most famous for. They are also the only cats that are sexually dimorphic, meaning the males and the females look distinctively different. The mane is considered a sexually selected trait and therefore plays a role in reproductive success.
Mane Length and Color
A lion’s mane develops at puberty and manes vary in length and color. The color of the mane indicates a lion’s nutrition and testosterone level, and lions with dark manes tend to be more mature, have longer reproductive life spans and more surviving offspring. The length of a mane signifies the lion's fighting success and lions with shorter manes are usually sick or injured.
Studies where male lion models were used with varying mane color and length show that male lions tend to approach models with short, light colored manes because they find them less threatening. Females almost always approach the models with darker manes finding them more sexually attractive. Mane length appears to make little difference to females (Lion Research Center).
Mating in Lions
Females come into estrus at two and a half to three years of age and have litters every two years, of between two to four cubs. The male lion will follow the female around and sniff her for signs she is ready to mate. Females will show their interest in mating by flirty gestures such as:
- Walking past a male
- Elaborate tail movements
- Rubbing and nudging
- Rolling on her back
- And finally assuming the mating position, which is lying on her stomach with the base of her tail slightly raised
Females can remain in estrus for four days and many matings with the same male will occur over this period of time. The male will guard the female to ensure other males don’t attempt to mate with her and fights will occur if other males approach. Occasionally the females in estrus can outnumber the males, so each male guards his mate, leaving the remaining females to choose between them. This is where dominant males would get to mate with more then one female.
Copulation lasts anywhere between five and twenty seconds, after which the female will roll onto her back for approximately two minutes, presumably to increase the chances of conceiving. Gestation lasts for one hundred and five days and at this time the female will leave her pride to find an isolated area to give birth. When the cubs reach four to six weeks of age, the female returns with them to her pride.
You may also like to read Prides, Coalitions and Infanticide Among Lions.
Resource and further reading:
Alcock, J, 2005, ' An Evolutionary Approach to Animal Behaviour, The Evolution of Mating Systems', in Animal Behaviour Eighth Edition, ed. Sinauer Associates, Inc., Sunderland, chap 1, 11.
Lion Research Center, July 2009.
Roberta Goli - Roberta has a Bachelor of Science Degree (Zoology), has worked with animals for over 10 years and enjoys writing short stories and flash ...
