I didn’t know those things, Alan. Very interesting! It’s also a very nice shot.
Rick > On Jan 17, 2021, at 1:21 AM, Alan C <c...@lantic.net> wrote: > > First a short exposé on Lions: > > Lions are the only cats which live in prides. They do so to defend a > territory containing a permanent water supply. Most prides are in the 10-20 > range but there was a famous pride of over 100 in the Gorongoza coastal game > reserve near Beira (Mozambique) in the 1950's. (I have seen old footage of > that). This game reserve was ruined in the recent bush war. Prides comprise a > group of Lionesses, at least 1 breeding Lion and cubs. The Lionesses do most > of the work (raising cubs & hunting). The males only get involved in the > hunting of big stuff like Buffalos & Elephant where their great strength is > required. One or two Lionesses run a nursery for the small cubs while the > rest hunt. Larger cubs are slowly introduced to the hunt. Young males are > ejected from the pride when they are about 2 & live in bachelor groups until > they are able to "take over" a pride. Many are killed trying. This savagery > is necessary to diversify the gene pool. Old Lions, ejected from their > prides, live on their wits for a year or two in a lonely, solitary life. > Dominant breeding males are in the 4-7 year age group. Lionesses can live as > long as 12 years. When a new male takes over a pride he kills any young males > which may still be present, thereby putting his genetic stamp on the pride. > > One a Lioness's cubs are weaned, she becomes interested in sex again & flirts > with the dominant male. She needs to be stimulated into oestrus by sex. The > pair move to a secluded spot away from the pride & get on with it - a couple > of hundred copulations over several days, neither eating nor drinking during > this period. The male cannot even risk leaving for drink in case another male > intervenes! Each encounter is very quick - less that a minute. > > There are plenty of opportunities for a photographer fortunate enough to be > ensconced in a prime spot & with plenty of patience. We only waited about > half an hour. There was another chap set up for the long haul. The spot was > an embankment overlooking a road which made it look as if the Lions were on > stage. (If they were human, we would call it pornography) > > You comments about human royalty are close to the mark - they have a terrible > reputation - notably the Tudors & one still living. DNA research may well > show some "anomalies" in the accepted lines of descent! > > Here is a link to an image just prior to the event: > > Lion pair near Letaba Camp, Kruger Park. | Flickr > <https://www.flickr.com/photos/wisselstroom/50843998767/in/datetaken-public/> > > Alan C > > > > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > PDML@pdml.net > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow > the directions. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.