There is a world somewhere between reality and fiction. Although ignored by many, it is very real and so are those living in it. This forum is about the natural world. Here, wild animals will be heard and respected. The forum offers a glimpse into an unknown world as well as a room with a view on the present and the future. Anyone able to speak on behalf of those living in the emerald forest and the deep blue sea is invited to join.
As a young male you would have been kicked out of the only family you’ve ever known. You’ll be sent into a world saturated with dangers & hardship. For the first time in your life you would need to fend for yourself entirely. There’s no lionesses hunting on your behalf. It’s all you.
If you’re lucky you would have left the pride with brothers and/or cousins. This would be ideal as you could support one another. With that said it’s unlikely that all of you would survive the next 2 years. In fact, it’s unlikely that any one of you would survive as the odds are against you in so many ways. • You’ve braved the onslaught of aggressive territorial males as you wander from one region to the next. You move largely at night & you can never really shut your eyes fully. The territorial males will know where you are. They will find your scent & rest assured they will track you down. If they find you you’re dead. This never ends. You’ll always be on someone else’s turf, an illegal occupant of the land. • Say you manage to avoid these killer male lions, you’re still faced with the task of finding food. You’re hunting skills are not yet fully developed. You scavenge at every opportunity. You steal meals from hyenas, from leopards, from cheetahs. You find old carcass & finish what’s been left by the resident pride. On the odd occasion you manage to kill prey, from time to time even happening upon old sick or injured prey. You kill the odd cow or goat but find yourself in danger from the two-legged monsters. You stay fed & you stay alive. That’s what’s matters. • Then comes the biggest challenge of all. You need territory. You need a pride & you need land. You find the territory you most love & start staking it out. You size up the resident males & weigh up your options. By this stage you are a survivor, a threat to any other male. You’re a male lion now & hormonal changes have changed you into a beast. You feel more ready than ever. This is the time to conquer. This is what you’ve survived for. It’s time to stake your claim & wear your battle scars with pride. • You’re a male lion now, you’ve earned it.