What is the oldest age known of lions that formed a coalition?

[Mhayise]

What is the oldest age known where unrelated lion kings formed a coalition? How did it happen? I always thought lions are either born in the same pride and then become lifetime brothers or sworn enemies but I've recently learnt they do form coalitions with strangers Reply

[Tshokwane]

Hello @Mhayise 

Quote:I always thought lions are either born in the same pride and then become lifetime brothers or sworn enemies 

In general, this is how it happens, this is the norm for lions.

Quote:but I've recently learnt they do form coalitions with strangers

In this case, it happens for two general reasons.

- Lone young males that either have lost their brothers or have been the only males born in the pride. When their fathers kick them out, the instinct of a lion is to find a partner or partners and they will test the waters to try and form a coalition. 

- On the other hand, it might happen that a prime lion or an older one loses his brother/s to old age or to the attack of rival males, and in this case the instinct is the same, to find a coalition mate.

Quote:What is the oldest age known where unrelated lion kings formed a coalition?

It'd be a guess to just throw a number, but without guessing, recently an old 13 year old lion partnered up with a slightly younger male, after having been rivals for years. Reply

[Mhayise]

(01-12-2018, 05:04 AM)Tshokwane Wrote: Hello @Mhayise 

Quote:I always thought lions are either born in the same pride and then become lifetime brothers or sworn enemies 

In general, this is how it happens, this is the norm for lions.

Quote:but I've recently learnt they do form coalitions with strangers

In this case, it happens for two general reasons.

- Lone young males that either have lost their brothers or have been the only males born in the pride. When their fathers kick them out, the instinct of a lion is to find a partner or partners and they will test the waters to try and form a coalition. 

- On the other hand, it might happen that a prime lion or an older one loses his brother/s to old age or to the attack of rival males, and in this case the instinct is the same, to find a coalition mate.

Quote:What is the oldest age known where unrelated lion kings formed a coalition?

It'd be a guess to just throw a number, but without guessing, recently and old 13 year old lion partnered up with a slightly younger male, after having been rivals for years.

Thanks for the answer; I am amazed that a 13 year old male partnered with a lion which was once a rival. Then to me it is clear that these coalitions can happen throughout the lion's life. Thanks again! Reply