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
Do the female lions do most of the hunting?
Were lions ever found on continents other than Africa?
Do lions attack elephants?
What are the biggest animals attacked by lion?
How far can the roar of a lion be heard?
Are lions sometimes injured by their prey?
Do lions have a social hierarchy?
What speed can a lion reach when charging?
When do young lions become independent?
Do lions hide during rainy weather?
Do lions use specific strategy when they hunt?
Which habitat to lions prefer?
Do lions eat carrion?
What causes a lion to become a man eater?
Can the female lion roar?
What is the size of the average lion litter?
Are lions territorial?
How large is the average lion pride?
Do males often fight over females or in territorial disputes?
Do all male lions possess a mane?
Are young adults expelled from the pride?
How long do African Lions sleep on average?
Could vultures lead lions to a dead animal?
Why to male lions kill cubs that are not their own?
Are the senses of a lion well developed?
How do lions kill their prey?
Why do some males have black manes?
Do lions scavenge?
What is the distribution of lions in the Kruger Park?
Does the male or the female lion initiate copulation?
How much meat can a lion consume during one meal?
What are the normal causes of death in lions?
Are male lions more aggressive than females?
When is the best time for spotting lion?
Do lions move around during the day?
Can lions climb trees?
What are the preferred prey species of lion?
Do lions kill their prey quickly?
Is there a way that one lion or lioness could avoid aggression from another?
Do the home ranges of lions overlap?
More frequently asked questions on: Mammals
What is the preferred habitat of the leopard?
Are lions cannibalistic?
What speed can a lion reach when charging?
At what age are lions sexually mature?
How often do female lions produce cubs?
Where can I find hippos in Kruger National Park?
Can lions swim?
Can porcupines shoot their quills?
Is the cheetah a true cat?
Are Vervet Monkeys intelligent?
How long do Honey Badgers live?
What is a Blue wildebeest?
Are spotted hyenas social animals?
Are Brown Hyenas dangerous?
How often do elephants give birth?
Does the male or the female lion initiate copulation?
How big do Klipspringers get?
Is there a specific breeding season, and how long is the gestation period of a cheetah?
Can the female lion roar?
Are there any endangered mammal species in Kruger National Park?
What does a Thick Tailed Bushbaby eat?
Where can I find Klipspringers in Kruger National Park?
Is the leopard a solitary animal?
What is a Brown Hyena?
Do Giraffes sleep?
Where can I find Brown Hyenas in Kruger Park?
What do Vervet Monkeys eat?
What do cheetahs eat?
Are hippos dangerous?
Do lions have enemies?
Is lion cub mortality high?
What do spotted hyenas eat?
What do Blue wildebeest eat?
What is a Suni?
Are lions sometimes injured by their prey?
Do male baboons often kill each other in fights?
Are porcupines dangerous to humans?
Are there any nocturnal mammals in Kruger National Park?
Do other predators prey upon leopard?
Do Honey Badgers have any predators?
Do you want to test your knowledge on the animals of the Kruger National Park?