Lions of Sabi Sands

[Duco Ndona]

I think its largely play as the animals mimic the pulse of pain that always happens during normal coitus even when no penetration obviously happens. Play has a strong practice through mimicking element in it and it makes sense that this also applies to mating. Ive also observed it happening when the lions were just calm and relaxed. So some kind of instinctual misfire due to happiness is also unlikely.

Though dominance obviously plays a role in it. So one could potentially deduce the hierarchy of a group by observing who initiates the most. Reply