The lion is famously called “the king of the savannah,” but this footage where female lions ferociously attack a lone male lino makes me wonder if it should rather be a lioness who should be dubbed the queen of the savannah.
Hierarchies in Lion Prides
Lioness at a watering hole. Image by Birger Strahl via Unsplash
Lion prides are based on complex social hierarchies where each member knows their place.
Contrary to what most people think, it is in fact the lionesses who are the primary hunters and protectors in a pride. Lionesses typically group together to maintain order or protect their territory – or in this case, aggressively fighting off an intruder.
The Suspected Reason Behind the Fight
The person who took the video had seen the same male lion attempting to join another pride only a few days before. Knowing this, we can probably assume that the male lion was trying to sneak his way into this pride as well – but these lionesses clearly mark that he isn’t welcome.
The Video
“Group of female lions fight male lion”, Source: YouTube, Uploaded: Caters Clips
Lioness Vs. Lion
While male lions are larger and generally considered more powerful, lionesses are the true backbone of the pride. They are strategic, and work in groups to manage the pride’s needs—from hunting to cub-rearing. The video demonstrates their ability to strategically coordinate an attack and overpower a male lion when their pride’s safety is on the line.
A Lioness Should Be Far More Feared Than a Lion
Female lion hunting. Image by GUDKOVANDREY via Depositphotos
Although the male lion traditionally bears the name of “the king of the savannah“, the rightful owner of this title should maybe rather be the lioness.
Typically, lionesses can be far more dangerous than their male counterparts, especially when the safety of their pride is at stake. Their protective instincts, combined with their hunting skills, make them especially dangerous.
Wrapping Up
Gzen92, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
It’s true that the male lion in the video is outnumbered by far, putting him in a seriously disadvantaged situation. But we can still conclude that lionesses are often underestimated – after all, they’re the true fighters.
Thank you for reading this story about the female lions that attack a lone male lion!
Author at Animals Around The Globe. BA Gender Studies & Literature
Josie is Swedish but has lived in South Africa for 12 years. She spends as much time as possible in the ocean or hiking in the mountains, no matter the weather. Although she adores all sorts of animals, dogs occupy the biggest spot in her heart – especially her Maltese-Chihuahua named Bootsy.
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This is a very interesting video. I remember reading awhile back that a pride of lionesses attacked and killed a male when he had an epileptic seizure. They all turned on him when he was most vulnerable.
Donna Slaughter McKinley
Sunday 14th of April 2024
This is a very interesting video. I remember reading awhile back that a pride of lionesses attacked and killed a male when he had an epileptic seizure. They all turned on him when he was most vulnerable.