Why are lions social animals?

[Dr Panthera]

There are several theories about the reason for social behaviour in lions and all have some truth in them, Packer says it is for the protection of cubs, Hunter says to dominate competitors, others say to hunt better...and I add to exploit the largest prey possible
Let us consider everything :
1- Defence of cubs:
Infanticide is not unique to lions, most felids males and some females practice it, but lions in prime habitat occur at higher densities than other cats with more contacts with hostile lions from other prides and nomads and the danger to cubs, particularly in open habitat where they have little cover, in such habitats pride males have a full time job to patrol the area and chase away intruders ( whereas in woodland areas they hunt more of their food) and the lionesses form larger prides five or more lionesses can weigh combined 600-700kg and can ward off one or two nomad males if the pride males are away.
2- Protection of Prime Territory:
Africa is rich in habitat with high prey density that every pride of lions would want to own, large prides are formed in the great habitat in eastern and Southern Africa , medium size prides in Tsavo, Gir, and west Africa , small prides in the kalahari and ( historically single lions, or pairs in the Atlas Mountains, North Africa and the Middle East ) . Available prey dictate the size of the pride.
3-Dominating Competitors:
Lions share their habitat now with spotted hyena clans, brown hyenas, striped hyenas, packs of African wild dogs, leopards, and cheetahs...they also evolved with the now extinct giant hyena and three species of sabertooth tigers, while a single lion is dominant over these competitors one on one, a pride of lions will conquer all competitors.
4-Hunting:
Single lions are competent hunters and even when they attack together most prey under 500 kg is practically killed by a single lion while the others offer just token participation, also Schaller showed that lionesses get most food in prides of 2-3 lionesses..larger prides do not get more food unless they start hunting mega fauna.
Africa has more species of ungulates over 100 kg that any other continent and most of them are still in very good numbers lions may get some competition from hyena clans or wild dog packs but prides of lions are the most fearsome terrestrial hunting unit on earth ( not in success rate but in size of prey ) , they have been recorded killing every animal in Africa including adult elephants, specialized prides in hunting large prey are common everywhere wildebeest, zebra, and large antelopes are not common or migratory....there is a pride in Botswana that kills 35 elephant every dry season including several adult females, in Selinda Botswana as well there is a pride that kills a hippo a week  , another pride in Tanzania killed fifty giraffes in a few months, the Tsaro pride in Duba plains average  a buffalo every other day, these food sources are exclusive to lions. Reply