Tense Moment Captured as Lioness Defends Cubs from Male

Some of the most iconic African nature scenes are of lion prides relaxing in the sun. If there are little cubs involved, the cuteness levels of the clip are amplified. This is what you’ll get when you view this YouTube clip. But is this happy family scene all that it appears to be? Things turn a little tense when the Dad lion appears on the scene and attempts to engage in some playful chasing with some of the cubs. The mother’s aggressive reaction toward him may seem disproportionate to the threat he poses. Or is it? Here, we explain why she is so protective.

African Lion Motherhood

African lions are truly social cats and live in prides made up of genetically related females. In these matriarchal societies, the females often give birth synchronously and share the child-rearing duties. There are typically several males associated with the pride; they form a coalition to fend off rival males. Their role in raising cubs is limited. They mate with the females and provide indirect benefits, such as protection and finding food. However, they are not hands-on fathers.

Playful Behavior

Females spend a lot of time together and with their cubs, demonstrating their devotion as mothers. Female lions often engage in play with their cubs, and this is an essential part of their development. By playing with their mothers, the cubs hone their hunting skills. The adult males, on the other hand, tend to be more aloof and less frequently engage in play. This may be why the female is suspicious of the male when he appears to be initiating a game. What are his motives?

Lion Infanticide

This female lion is not overreacting. She understandably feels protective of her offspring because male lions can and do kill cubs. Infanticide is most common when a new male takes over a pride. He will try to kill the existing cubs that have been fathered by a previous male. There is no advantage to the new male in allowing these cubs to stay alive – they do not carry his genes.

The situation for the female is entirely different. They are her biological offspring, and she has already invested a lot of resources in raising them. Females defend cubs from attacking males but are often unsuccessful. A group of females may band together to defend against an attacking male, though some may lose their lives in the process.

If the females survive but the cubs are killed, this will bring the female back into estrus (the period when she is fertile). This allows the new male to father his own cubs in about eight months, rather than waiting over a year if the female were allowed to wean her current cubs. In this clip, the situation does not appear to be a serious attack—more likely, it is a case of mistaken intentions. Still, the females are taking no chances.