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Lion Predation
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Cape Fur Seals:
Broadbent reported in 1985 that a pride of lions residing in the Namib desert resorted to preying on a marine mammal the Cape fur seal!! The Namib desert is one of the driest and hottest deserts on earth yet it still has dry river beds and water holes to support resident gemsbok, giraffe, eland, and springbuck and migratory wildebeest and zebra, however, the populations of all these ungulates are sensitive to the water availability no matter how scarce it is, and their populations fluctuate accordingly. A pride of lions residing near the Atlantic coast discovered a new source of food: The ocean!! Unlike the land, the Benguela cold current makes the southern and south western coasts of Africa extremely rich with plankton, crustaceans, and fish and consequently with seals and sea lions. The lions probably watched black-backed jackals and brown hyenas attack the helpless seal pups on their beach rookeries, while the adult seals were hunting in the ocean, the lions quickly adapted to this easy prey to compensate for shortage in ungulates, and once they started to "like" seal meat they graduated to attacking adult seals even in shallow water leading to some spectacular battles. Unfortunately for this pride, and like all carnivores, its members started attacking livestock and the villagers avenged their losses by eradicating all the resident lions. Within a decade new lions have repopulated the area and are studied by Dr. Flip Stander , these new lions do not know that seals are edible, seals are not normal lion prey and are not recorded as such in the collective DNA memory of Panthera leo, nor they had mothers who were seal hunters and taught the lions how to exploit this resource, whether they would learn from watching jackals and hyenas or not remains to be seen. 
One would think seals would be a jackpot for Lions. Nutrient rich and probably easy prey on land since they are likely to not be as adapted to avoid lions.
TFS (03-08-2016, 01:01 PM)parvez Wrote:(03-08-2016, 12:39 AM)Spalea Wrote: @parvez: From what I have seen, the most common practice of predation on crocs similar size or larger than a big cat (tiger and Jaguar) have been by clamping directly behind the crocs skull (machli over the croc larger than herself or the jaguar snatching the caiman) and killing it there or by slowly eating away at it. I assume the same method would be adapted for a single lion but a pride of lions would probably get the croc to tire itself out then kill it.  (03-09-2016, 10:41 PM)Pckts Wrote:(03-08-2016, 01:01 PM)parvez Wrote:(03-08-2016, 12:39 AM)Spalea Wrote: @parvez: (03-09-2016, 10:27 PM)Pckts Wrote: One would think seals would be a jackpot for Lions. Nutrient rich and probably easy prey on land since they are likely to not be as adapted to avoid lions. Very much how polar bears evolved to prey on seals lions and tigers have rarely killed and ate seals, the aforementioned Namibia pride, a young Amur male on the shores of the Sea of Japan, and a historic record of tiger predation on seals in Lake Baikal. Blubber, fat, large amount of meat..and if they can avoid the vicious jaws a relatively easy kill. 
African Wildlife Photography Maggy Meyer:
Two Rekero Lions hunting a Topi Yesterday in the Masai Mara we found these two lions and four females from Rongai Pride with cubs asleep. Suddenly one of the lions saw something and went through the tall grass. It was a Topi what he saw, but only the horns, we could see. He crept through the tall grass on the left side. Then the other lion followed on the right side. When the left lion came up to about 20 meters to the Topi, he ran and caught it. The other lion helped him with the rest. The Rekero males are sons of the Notch males.  *This image is copyright of its original author
Photo and information credits: Antoine Marchal Photography
"Blood River" A pride of twelve lions (Panthera leo) feeding on a buffalo killed in the riverbed of the White iMfolozi River, Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.  *This image is copyright of its original author
Every time I see a video like this I think back to all the books and tv programs there were when I was a kid (1980's) and they all said the same thing - male lions were basically lazy bums who were only there for fighting and mating and that lionesses did 95% of the hunting. They always painted a picture that male lions would basically starve to death without lionesses hunting for them.
 (03-16-2016, 05:45 AM)stoja9 Wrote: Every time I see a video like this I think back to all the books and tv programs there were when I was a kid (1980's) and they all said the same thing - male lions were basically lazy bums who were only there for fighting and mating and that lionesses did 95% of the hunting. They always painted a picture that male lions would basically starve to death without lionesses hunting for them. Yes, it is completely crazy, absurd... When I was a child, I always heard that males lions did nothing but sleep and mate. After in the meedle of the seventy, thanks to the big zoologist searcher Schaller, I learnt that males lions were very important because they keep their territory safe against stranger male lions in order the lionness could breed their cubs and hunt. But of course, the males because of their mane and bigger size were unable to hunt efficiently. Now, thank to internet we can see that male lions hunt very often and very efficiently bigger preys than the lionesses do. But, IMO, a such imbalance between what we said and reality was too big to be true. I would believe that we wanted to discredit the lion by a completely anthropomorphic description, male lions being macho and lazy and inheriting some very human flaws. Quote:But, IMO, a such imbalance between what we said and reality was too big to be true. I would believe that we wanted to discredit the lion by a completely anthropomorphic description, male lions being macho and lazy and inheriting some very human flaws.I wouldn't be surprised if that was actually the case. The lion is probably the symbol of excellence of masculinity, of the proud, strong man in command of his house and land. And traditional masculinity has been under attack for decades in every shape you can imagine. So I'm not really surprised of it. (03-16-2016, 07:02 AM)Majingilane Wrote:Quote:But, IMO, a such imbalance between what we said and reality was too big to be true. I would believe that we wanted to discredit the lion by a completely anthropomorphic description, male lions being macho and lazy and inheriting some very human flaws.I wouldn't be surprised if that was actually the case. I could not dare to claim, to suppose that, at least in a scientific forum. By your answer I have the confirmation that, perhaps, probably, we are not in the wrong. You're completely right about your depiction of the traditionnal masculinity. Thank you !
Footage taken at Mala Mala, credits to Earth Touch.
Ranger Brendan Cole, who filmed the clip, was able to witness the entire encounter unfold. "We came across two male lions chasing a herd of buffalo bulls. The lions chased the buffalo into the riverbed and when we finally caught up with them, they had managed to single out and pin down one of the bulls," he recalls. Drawn by the buffalo's distress calls, the rest of the herd soon returned. "We waited in anticipation to see if they would try and drive off the lions. One bull stepped up to the challenge ... but it seemed that he had realised that his fallen herd member was too far gone, so he retreated."
Photo and information credits: Neil Aldridge Photography
"A lioness stands over her kill on the Busanga Plains." Kafue National Park, Zambia  *This image is copyright of its original author
I think this image can also be posted in Birmingham lion thread, But I thought to post it here. According to Jors Dannhauser These guys can hunt buffalo, they killed a female and two young ones at the same spot
See the power and dominance of Birmingham coalition.  *This image is copyright of its original author
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