The Birmingham Males

[Matimbalani]

(08-23-2018, 12:05 PM)The Infamous Wrote:

(08-23-2018, 03:58 AM)Michael Wrote:

(08-23-2018, 02:43 AM)Herekitty Wrote: We've all seen this footage from last August in Malamala where Nsuku returned to a kill only to find Hairy Belly nose deep in the carcass, and the ensuing standoff. Reading the facebook comments to this video most commentators seemed to believe that HB, despite being unmoved from the carcass, displayed submissive behaviour to Nsuku, and that Nsuku showed fearlessness, despite not actually pursuing the fight.

There's further footage of this incident, which I think better illustrates the dynamic between the two lions, and exactly why Nsuku didn't pursue it further.

Credit: Malamala, video by jontybozas, posted August 15, 2018.

We miss a lot of animal interaction because if there is an actual conflict it is the majority of time witnessed or accounted for, but if there is a small interaction like this one most of them aren't registered.

It's similar to the interactions between leopards and hyenas if both parties are alone there is no conflict because both would get hurt in an actual fight, it's similar to this interaction what would be the point of physically altercation they would both end up hurt and nothing good would come off it.

In one on one situations most animals avoid fighting due to the danger that injuries represent.

I agree with you....but what if instead of Nsuku would have been Mfumo or Tinyo, or maybe both of them?

We do have this video of two B-Boys running into a Selati. I am inclined to think that lions do have a sense of what is at stake in a fight. If it involves territory or pride and they are asserting their dominance they will press the issue and do some serious fighting, otherwise they are more inclined to prove a point and move on. 

I think more than likely they would have chased HB off without mortal combat. And as experienced as HB is he would have thought better of it than to hang around a kill if he sensed he was being overwhelmed. I think most young lions get mauled because they don't have a sense of when to call it quits.

 

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