Do lions kill only when they are hungry?
Lions are opportunistic predators and will attempt to kill whenever the opportunity presents itself. Although they kill only to sustain themselves, they do occasionally kill much more than they can consume. This usually happens when the prey animals are in a weak and emaciated condition and unable to escape or offer resistance.
On some occasions during droughts, when prey animals concentrate in large numbers around the last remaining water holes, lions, particularly young individuals, have been seen to kill several head of prey in a herd.
During the severe drought of 1996, a pride of lions killed five adult and 10 young African buffalo from a starving herd in one locality near Punda Maria. Similarly, near Lower Sabie a pride of lions killed six buffalo from a herd.
More frequently asked questions on the Lion
Are lions sometimes injured by their prey?
Do female lions secure food for their cubs?
Are the senses of a lion well developed?
Do lions often become man eaters?
What is the purpose of roaring and when do lions roar?
Do lions eat carrion?
Why to male lions kill cubs that are not their own?
Does a pride of lions accept a stranger?
Do lions have enemies?
Do all male lions possess a mane?
Do lions attack elephants?
What is the size of the average lion litter?
Can the female lion roar?
Do lions kill their prey quickly?
Are lions cannibalistic?
Is lion cub mortality high?
What are the biggest animals attacked by lion?
Do lions have a social hierarchy?
Which habitat to lions prefer?
Were lions ever found on continents other than Africa?
Does the male or the female lion initiate copulation?
What causes a lion to become a man eater?
Can lions swim?
Do lions communicate well?
Do the home ranges of lions overlap?
How do lions kill their prey?
Why do some males have black manes?
Can lions climb trees?
How often do female lions produce cubs?
How much meat can a lion consume during one meal?
Are young adults expelled from the pride?
Are male lions more aggressive than females?
Do males often fight over females or in territorial disputes?
What are the preferred prey species of lion?
At what age are lions sexually mature?
What is the normal life span of a lion?
Could vultures lead lions to a dead animal?
Is there a way that one lion or lioness could avoid aggression from another?
How long do African Lions sleep on average?
How large is the average lion pride?
More frequently asked questions on: Mammals
How do leopards manage to get very heavy prey into a tree?
Do lions kill their prey quickly?
Is it true that giraffes have blue tongues?
Are Klipspringers endangered?
Can Serval be kept as pets?
Are Elands dangerous?
What are the main physical features of the cheetah?
Are leopards very susceptible to disease?
Are cheetahs territorial?
What type of habitat do cheetahs prefer?
Is there a specific breeding season, and how long is the gestation period of a cheetah?
Is there a way that one lion or lioness could avoid aggression from another?
Do Buffalo have good memories?
What are the Thick Tailed Bushbabies enemies?
Do all male lions possess a mane?
Are Serval endangered?
What is the lifespan of a baboon?
Are Suni social animals?
Are lions cannibalistic?
Are lions territorial?
Do Giraffes sleep?
Can the female lion roar?
Do leopards returns to the prey left in a tree?
Do the female lions do most of the hunting?
Are there any nocturnal mammals in Kruger National Park?
What do Lesser Bushbabies eat?
Are Honey Badgers endangered?
Do they attack other predators?
Are Warthogs fast?
Do Brown Hyenas live in packs?
How many cheetah are there in the Kruger Park?
What does a Serval eat?
Can elephant tusks grow back?
What is the normal life span of a lion?
How far can the roar of a lion be heard?
Which habitat to lions prefer?
Do Suni have any predators?
Is leopard cub mortality high?
How do Vervet Monkeys communicate and are they aggressive?
What does a Thick Tailed Bushbaby look like?
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