Tiger is a mammal in the family Catidae. The eight tiger subspecies recognized so far:
Bengal tiger: distributed in the Indochina Peninsula, with an estimated population of about 3,060 to 4,735 individuals.
Western tiger: distributed in Türkiye, central and western Asia, and now extinct.
Amur tiger (also known as Siberian tiger): distributed in Heilongjiang and North Korea on the Sino-Soviet border, with an estimated population of about 437 to 506 individuals.
Javan tiger: Distributed in Java, Indonesia, it is now extinct.
South China Tiger: Distributed in the southern part of central China, with an estimated population of about 20 to 30 individuals.
Bali Tiger: Distributed in Bali, Indonesia, it is now extinct.
Sumatran tiger: distributed in Sumatra, Indonesia, with an estimated population of about 400 to 500 individuals.
Southeast Asian tiger: distributed in mainland Southeast Asia, with an estimated population of about 1,180 to 1,790.
The tiger is the largest mammal among the cats. The tiger's skin is brownish red, its belly is white, and its tail is black and white. Different subspecies of tiger may have different skin colors. There are narrow black, brown or gray stripes on the head, body, tail and legs. The hind legs are longer than the front legs, which facilitates jumping. The tiger's legs are muscular, its claws are long and powerful, and it has a strong grip.
The total length of the tiger's head and body: 1.4 to 2.8 meters; tail length: 0.6 to 0.9 meters. The Siberian tiger is the largest living cat: the male weighs about 180 to 306 kilograms, and the female weighs about 100 to 167 kilograms. Tigers have diverse habitats. Dense vegetation, sufficient prey and water sources are the most important survival conditions for tigers.
Tigers were once widely distributed in various areas on the earth. Their habitats range from hot tropical rainforests to snow-capped boreal forests to mangrove swamps. However, no matter where they are, they need three conditions: water, prey and hiding place. Humans have reclaimed wasteland and cut down forests, seriously destroying the environment they depend on for living. This is also the main reason that threatens the survival of tigers and leads to their extinction.
Tiger hunting is a single action. They often hide in the jungle and then pounce up unexpectedly. The stripes on their body provide them with good hiding conditions. The objects captured are mainly large mammals such as wild boars, deer, antelopes, and bison. Small mammals and birds are sometimes caught.
Tiger groups usually consist of female tigers and their cubs, and their numbers are mainly determined by the abundance of prey. The territory of a group is about 20 to 300 square kilometers. They divide their territories by peeing and marking trees.
Tiger is a carnivore that hunts many kinds of animals for food. It usually hunts from dawn to sunset. It mainly feeds on large mammals such as pigs, deer, antelope, buffalo and Indian bison. Tigers can hunt prey larger than their own size. A tiger weighing about 100 to 250 kilograms can hunt an Indian gaur weighing 900 kilograms. Tigers in the wild can eat forty kilograms of meat at a time. If they are not disturbed, they usually return to the hunting location within three to six days after capturing the prey to enjoy the remaining food until there is not much food left.
Tiger is an expert hunter, but there is a 90% chance of missing when catching prey. It can be seen that under natural conditions, tigers will not cause the extinction of prey, let alone have any impact on the number of prey communities. important impact. However, as humans continue to destroy tiger habitats, cut down and burn vegetation, and hunt the animals that tigers rely on for survival, the survival of tigers is under threat.
Tigers begin to breed when they are three to six years old. They can mate throughout the year, but mainly from the end of November to the beginning of April. The gestation period lasts about 103 days, and they can give birth to two to two babies each time. Five young chicks. Female tigers reproduce every two to two and a half years and are responsible for raising their young. Tiger cubs can begin to live independently after 18 to 28 months. The longest-lived wild tiger so far is about fifteen and a half years old, and those in captivity can live up to twenty-six years old.
The distribution range of tigers can vary according to their habitat and prey distribution. Taking the distribution range in India as an example, it only covers an area of ??500 to 1,000 square kilometers. The largest distribution range is in eastern Siberia. Approximately 10,500 square kilometers.
The difference between tigers and other cats is that they are good at swimming. In the past, a tiger was recorded swimming up to 29 kilometers.
Due to the destruction of the ecological environment and excessive hunting by humans, the number of tigers has declined sharply. According to statistics, in the early 20th century, the number of tigers was only 100,000. By the 1970s, the number had dropped sharply to 4,000. By the 1990s, among the eight subspecies of tigers in the world, it was estimated that there were more than 3,000 Bengal tigers, more than 1,000 Indochinese tigers, less than 100 Chinese tigers, about 200 Siberian tigers, and about 600 Sumatran tigers. , Caspian tiger, Javan tiger and Bali tiger have become extinct.
Purchasing tigers for commercial purposes, reducing their food supply, and losing their habitat are all major threats facing tigers. The future of tigers depends on whether existing habitats can be preserved and whether humans can fully curb the crisis of illegal hunting.
For a long time, hunters have been killing tigers to collect tiger skins, make specimens and decorations, and also use tiger body parts to develop traditional Chinese medicine. At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of this century, tiger shooting became a sport. In 1911, 39 tigers were shot by the same group of people in Nepal in just 11 days. In China, tigers are regarded as "pests" and bounties can be earned for "removing the pests". In the 30 years from the 1940s to the 1970s, 3,000 South China tigers were hunted in Japan. In the past, obtaining tiger skins was the main reason for killing tigers, but in recent years, tigers have been killed to obtain tiger bones for medicine. The issue of killing tigers for bones has attracted widespread attention.
In the past, the traditional Chinese medicine industry believed that various parts of the tiger's body could also be used for medicinal purposes. However, most of the medicinal uses are no longer available. In recent years, traditional Chinese medicine mainly uses the tiger's humerus as a medicine to treat rheumatism. , tiger bones are mashed into powder and can be made into pills, plasters or soaked in tiger bone medicinal wine. Since 1993, the use of tiger bones as medicine has been deleted from the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. However, medicines containing tiger bones are still widely sold in many Asian, European and North American countries.
In December 1997, WWF sponsored a groundbreaking conference that brought together traditional East Asian medicine practitioners, drug dealers and researchers, and environmentalists*** Also discuss the use of other animal bones to replace tiger bones in the East Asian pharmaceutical industry. At the meeting, researchers explained the efficacy of tiger bones from multiple wild and domesticated species, and hoped that China could replace tiger bones with other materials as soon as possible. However, the replaced materials must avoid endangering another wild animal or plant.
The most effective way to combat illegal trade in tiger body parts is to raise users’ awareness of conservation. Once users are aware of trade restrictions, they must comply with the relevant laws. First, they need to understand the situation of tigers and encourage them to join the effort to save tigers, including banning the use of tiger body parts and derivatives.
As the human population in tiger habitats continues to increase, residential, agricultural and other human activities contribute to the reduction of tiger habitats. Not only has the area shrunk, but even the former wild areas have become fragmented and fragmented, making it difficult to serve as a tiger habitat. Currently, there are between 5,000 and 7,000 tigers in the world dispersed into more than 160 small communities. Parts of their range have been damaged by humans cutting firewood and hunting tiger prey. As a result, the number of tigers may be declining and they may no longer be able to reproduce. At present, the habitats of South China tigers are scattered. Although there are some active rescue plans to connect some small habitats into major protected areas, they may not be able to succeed before these tiger subspecies are completely extinct. Implement.
Human hunting of wild life has led to a reduction in tiger food, posing a serious threat to tigers, and the situation is no exception in large protected areas. Research shows that if the number of prey per square kilometer falls below the standard of two to five animals, tigers will have difficulty reproducing successfully. In 1991, the World Wildlife Fund funded a study on South China tigers. The results showed that although no tigers were killed in the reserve, the hunting of pigs and deer in the area posed a threat to the survival of tigers. Declining tiger food supplies are also an important issue in other protected areas. At the same time, grazing livestock in protected areas not only causes livestock and wild creatures to compete for food, but also significantly reduces the vegetation where tigers and prey hide. These livestock may also indirectly transmit diseases and wild creatures. As tigers' food dwindles, their distribution becomes more fragmented. As human activities affect the ecology of protected areas and adjacent areas, their numbers will also decrease.
To protect tigers, the trade in hunting tigers and their body parts must be completely curbed, and existing tiger reserves must be preserved. To ensure that these beautiful creatures can continue to thrive, tiger protection actions must be expanded. Identifying large-scale "tiger protection sites", including major habitats and complete prey communities, is the first step to effectively implement protection work. Subsequently, Innovative management plans are needed to balance the conflicting needs of residents and tigers in the area. All these are major challenges that mankind must face as we enter the 21st century.
Giant panda living habits
Also known as giant panda, bamboo bear, flower bear
Scientific name Ailuropoda melanoleuca
English name giant panda
Giant panda family Ailuropodidae
Distributed in parts of Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu
National first-level protected animals
Mild temperament, good looks, and action The cute giant panda is one of people's favorite wildlife parks and has been selected as the emblem of the World Wildlife Fund. Its body length is 120~180 cm, its tail length is 10~20 cm, its tail length is 10~20 cm, and its weight is 60~110 kg. The head is round and large. In addition to the five clawed toes, there is also a sixth toe on the forefoot, which is round and large. In addition to the five clawed toes, there is also a sixth toe on the forefoot. The trunk and tail are white, the ears, eyes, limbs and shoulder blades are all black, and the abdomen is light brown or gray-black.
It inhabits mountain bamboo forests in deciduous broad-leaved forests, mixed coniferous and broad-leaf forests, and subalpine coniferous forests at an altitude of 2,000 to 3,000 meters. It has no fixed nest and eats while walking. It likes to be alone and wander around. They often sleep under big trees or in bamboo forests. It has poor vision and slow movement, but it can climb tall trees quickly and flexibly, and swim in fast-flowing rivers. It mainly feeds on bamboo shoots and leaves, and occasionally preys on small animals. The estrus period is from April to May every year, and there are also autumn matings, with one litter per litter and occasionally two litters.
The giant panda was at its peak hundreds of thousands of years ago. It was once widely distributed in eastern China. Later, other animals in the same period became extinct one after another. However, the giant panda remains today and maintains its original ancient characteristics. Therefore, it is known as a "living fossil." Today, the distribution range of giant pandas has been very narrow, limited to the southern slopes of Qinling Mountains, Minshan Mountains, Qionglai Mountains, Xiaoxiangling Mountains and parts of Liangshan Mountains. At present, our government has taken a series of effective measures to better protect this endangered living fossil. The survival of giant pandas has long attracted the attention of the world. In the future, a lot of huge work needs to be done to protect and breed giant pandas.
The giant panda is China’s national treasure and a rare and endangered animal. So far, giant pandas are almost on the verge of extinction in more than 200 countries and regions around the world. They can only be found in the deep mountains and old forests of parts of Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu in my country. At present, the total number of giant pandas in the world is only less than 1,000, and the number is constantly decreasing. According to scientific statistics, 78% of female giant pandas are infertile, and 90% of male giant pandas are infertile, which brings many difficulties to giant panda reproduction.
In zoology, giant pandas belong to the order Carnivora. According to research, the ancient names of giant pandas include tapir, white leopard, and Yu. From the early period of the Reborn Era more than 2 million years ago to the middle and late period of the Regeneration Era 1 million years ago, giant pandas have been widely distributed in the southern half of my country, forming the giant panda-stegodon fauna; today this fauna Many species have become extinct, but giant pandas have always survived, so giant pandas are known as "living fossils".
Giant pandas have long lived in dense bamboo forests in the mountains and deep valleys on the eastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in western China, leading a mysterious "hermit" life. Moreover, the morphology and structure are special and the temperament is strange. Therefore, biologists have not had a unified understanding of the classification of this animal. Some place it in the family Ursidae together with bears, some place it in the family Ursidae together with bears, and regard it as a highly specialized bear; some place it independently in the family Ailuropodidae. Over the past 100 years, a large number of studies have been conducted on the morphological anatomy, fossil materials, behavioral ecology and other aspects of giant pandas, but no conclusion has been reached. In recent years, scientists have conducted research from the aspects of biochemistry and molecular biology, making classification research more in-depth, but they still have not achieved a consistent understanding and drawn a unified conclusion.
The fact that the giant panda can survive to this day after a long historical development reflects its tenacious vitality. However, due to the adverse effects of historical development factors, it is currently in an endangered state. Among various unfavorable factors, the intrinsic reason is due to the highly specialization of feeding habits, reproductive ability and child-rearing behavior. The external reason is that the habitat environment has been destroyed, forming an island-like distribution that is not connected to each other, leading to population fragmentation, inbreeding, and species degradation. In addition, the periodic flowering and death of bamboo, the staple food, is caused by human hunting, natural enemies, and diseases. This constitutes a serious threat to the survival of giant pandas, making them endangered.
Giant pandas are very secluded animals that live in high mountains and deep valleys, so it is difficult to count the exact number in the wild. It is generally believed that there are about 1,000-1,200, plus the nearly 100 artificially bred and raised, it is indeed decreasing. According to feedback from the masses: some places used to have it, but now there is less of it; some places used to have it, but now it doesn’t. Giant pandas seen in the wild generally have more adults and fewer cubs, and the population is declining. But at present, the decline in the number of giant pandas has been basically controlled, and the population numbers in some reserves have increased slightly.
For a long time, people have known little about the reproductive behavior of giant pandas in their natural habitat, and little is known about their reproductive physiological processes. It has been generally believed that the reproductive status of contemporary giant pandas is sluggish. . However, the latest research confirms that giant pandas have normal reproductive capabilities, the population shows no signs of decline, and the possibility of the population growing or stabilizing is greater than the possibility of the population declining. Judging from the reproductive genetic potential of giant pandas, they are a population that has hope of continuing to reproduce.
Judging from the food of giant pandas, there is enough bamboo for them to eat. In the 1980s, people were worried that giant pandas would starve to death if bamboos bloomed and died. Recent field studies have shown that those worries were unfounded. Because several types of bamboo usually grow in the distribution areas of giant pandas, when one kind of bamboo blooms, giant pandas can easily find alternative food. Only one kind of bamboo blooming does not pose a threat to the survival of giant pandas. Even if only one kind of bamboo grows in the distribution area of ??giant pandas, after large areas of it bloom and die, giant pandas can still eat a large amount of remaining bamboo to meet their food needs. For example, the Qinling giant panda's annual consumption of bamboo forests actually does not exceed 2% of the annual growth of a bamboo forest. Therefore, whether bamboo blooms or dies, it will not threaten the survival of giant pandas.
Of course, for giant pandas to continue to survive, they must be sincerely cared for and carefully managed by humans. At present, 12 nature reserves have been established across the country specifically to protect giant pandas. In addition, the logging of natural forests in the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River has been stopped, and most of the giant panda habitats have been protected. This is a possibility for contemporary giant pandas to continue Good news for survival. As long as the living environment of giant pandas is protected, our rare "national treasure" will be able to thrive and survive.
Disease:
Under natural conditions, disease may be the biggest hazard to the survival of giant pandas. Diseases of the digestive, respiratory, nervous, and hematopoietic systems are often fatal and may occur. Various tumors, internal and external parasitic diseases, skin diseases, and trauma will all affect the health and lifespan of giant pandas.
Natural enemies:
Although the giant panda is indifferent to the world, there are still some animals that are enemies of them in its habitat, such as golden cats, leopards, jackals, Wolves, yellow-throated martens, etc., but they mainly attack giant panda cubs and sick and elderly people, because young and strong giant pandas still retain the ferocity of their carnivorous ancestors and are not weak when encountering strong ones, making them intimidating to enemies. The seemingly docile and naive giant pandas in the zoo also sometimes hurt people when provoked.
In the wild, both male and female giant pandas usually live solitary lives. Each individual’s activity range is about 4-7 square kilometers, so its population usually consists of scattered It is composed of individuals, each of which lives in the same environmental conditions, shares the food source of the same area, relies on and restricts each other, and naturally combines into a unified whole.
Giant pandas lack expression on their faces and generally maintain communication between groups through vision, smell and hearing, of which smell is the most important.
There is an exposed area on both sides of its anus, which is the location of the perianal glands. This gland can secrete a sour-smelling substance. It is often found at the base of tall tree trunks or other conspicuous objects such as stones. , mounds, etc., are smeared with the secretions of the perianal glands, and feces and urine are also used as marks for mutual identification to indicate their respective geographical locations.
The pupils of the giant panda's eyes are like those of domestic cats, which are longitudinally slit-shaped, indicating that it has the characteristics of a nocturnal animal. The sounds made by giant pandas are relatively complex. Experts have adopted the method of sound spectrum analysis of various distinguishable calls, and refer to its behavioral performance to analyze the instinctive behavior, courtship and emotional state expressed by its calls. and other biological meanings. Research results show that the calls of adult giant pandas are composed of 12 relatively clear calls and gasps. The meaning of the sound signals can express the possession of territory, finding a mate, raising cubs, fear of being threatened, etc., including There are sounds such as howling, lowing, grunting, barking, barking, roaring, screaming and hissing, as well as exhaling, snorting, smacking lips and other sounds. The calls of newborn giant panda cubs are relatively monotonous, with only three types of calls: "Zhi Zhi", "Wah Wah" and "Gugu", which indicate physiological phenomena such as hunger, physical discomfort or the need to defecate. By the time they are 9 months old, they will also make moaning, nose-drumming, and barking sounds similar to those of cows and dogs, and their meaning is close to that of adults. As they age and gain weight, their calls become more complex.
The cave nests of giant pandas are mostly located at the base of large hollow trees in mixed coniferous and broad-leaved forests or in the hollows of tree pockets. Tree holes are caused by humans cutting several holes on one side of the base of the tree during logging. The ax rots or perforates due to other reasons, causing the inside and outside to communicate. There are generally 20-40 cm thick rotten wood powder, debris, and rotten pieces in the cave. The tree pockets are surrounded by tree roots. These cave nests or nests are mainly made of tall fir trees. They are located in a relatively quiet environment, with abundant food resources nearby and good hiding conditions. The structure of the nest built is relatively simple and rough. The bedding inside is usually in the shape of a shallow plate, consisting of dozens of dry or fresh branches with young leaves, cold arrow bamboo, rattan, wood blocks, moss, etc., which are brought in from outside the cave. Branches or bamboo branches The diameter is generally 0.5-2 cm and the length is 10-200 cm. The types include fir, red birch, wild cherry, rhododendron, rowan, cold arrow bamboo, kiwi fruit, etc. The thick branches are bent into an arc and overlapped to serve as a nest. The frame, thin branches and moss overlap as the inner edge of the nest, and the bottom of the nest is made into a shallow plate shape using deadwood powder, debris, and wood blocks in the tree hole. There are many traces left around the nest, such as stepping objects, hair, feces, burrows, claw marks, tooth marks, and leftover food. The ground in front of some caves is steep and difficult to enter and exit, so it uses fresh or dry branches of fir, rhododendron, red birch, rowan and other trees with a diameter of 2 to 7 cm and a length of 40 to 190 cm. They were piled up into stepping stones that were tens of centimeters thick. When entering and exiting the cave, they walked on top of the stepping stones. Over time, they became very smooth.
The koala (also known as the koala) is a unique and precious primitive arboreal animal in Australia and a marsupial mammal. It has a docile temperament and a simple and honest body. It looks like a bear, with a pair of big ears, a flat nose and no tail. He likes to climb trees and makes trees his home all day long, even sleeping. During the day, koalas usually curl up in a ball and perch on eucalyptus trees, and only go out at night, climbing up and down the branches in search of eucalyptus leaves to satisfy their hunger. It has a huge appetite and a narrow food path, and will not eat anything other than eucalyptus leaves. The newly born baby koala is only about 2 centimeters long at birth, like a small reptile. When the baby koala grows up, it will lie on its mother's back like a baby, or lie comfortably in its mother's arms.
I also heard that koala mothers are very strict in disciplining their children. If the child is too naughty and does not obey the instructions, the mother will make the child suffer a lot. At this time, the mother looked angry and threw the child off her back, put it on its hind legs, stretched out its forelimbs and beat it hard until the child screamed and screamed until it was subdued. The little koala gradually became sensible, and the mother loved it even more. This method of discipline is used until the koala can live independently. But they are always together and rarely separated. It seems to be very similar to my mother’s way of discipline: P
First, because of the large number, high density, and wide distribution of penguins. It has been found that there are more than 100 million penguins in the Antarctic region, accounting for 10% of the world’s total. They account for 1/10 of the total number of seabirds, and they can be found along the coast of the Antarctic continent and on the islands in the sub-Antarctic region.
The first thing anyone who sets foot on the Antarctic land will notice is the swarms of penguins all over the mountains and plains. Penguins bring vitality to the cold and lonely world of ice and snow in Antarctica.
The second reason is that the penguin’s appearance is lovable, especially its sanctimonious, polite and gentlemanly demeanor, which leaves a deep impression on people.
The third reason is that penguins have shared the joys and sorrows in Antarctica for generations and have faced different fates. They have trained and cultivated the hard skills to adapt to the harsh environment of Antarctica - the special physiological function of being able to withstand low temperatures.
Fourthly, because of the unique living habits of penguins, such as the male penguin hatching eggs and the nursery of young penguins, it has long been passed down as a good story and interesting talk.
The fifth reason is because penguins are a symbol of cold. When they see penguins, people immediately think of Antarctica, the coldest pole in the world. It’s no wonder that products in the world’s cold drink industry often use penguins as trademarks. In midsummer, the sight of penguins gives people a cool and refreshing feeling.
It is the mysterious world of Antarctica that has given birth to such strange "residents". Antarctic penguins, like polar bears, have become well-known representative animals.
Where is the home of Antarctic penguins? Could the ancestors of penguins fly? How did penguins evolve? Questions about the origin of penguins are topics that biologists are currently discussing and researching. So far it is still a mystery.
However, there is a theory that the penguins in Antarctica originated from a flying animal during the breakup of Gondwana. About 200 million years ago, Gondwana began to split and disintegrate, and the Antarctic continent separated and began to drift southward. At this time, there happened to be a group of flying animals flying over the ocean. They discovered the paradise land of the drifting Antarctic continent, so they circled, watched, and "discussed" among each other, and finally they decided to land on this land. on land. At first they lived a very happy life there, with plenty of food and clothing, chasing and carousing to their heart's content. However, the good times did not last long. As the continent moved southward, it became colder and colder. They had nowhere to fly if they wanted to. Surrounded by the vast sea of ??ice and snow, they had no choice but to stay on this piece of land. Soon the Antarctic continent reached the pole. After a long time, it was finally covered with thick ice and snow. The original lush creatures died in large numbers. Only the ancestor of penguins, a flying animal, survived. However, they have undergone radical changes, from flying to flightless, from the original broad and fluffy feathers to fine needle-like feathers, and the original slender and slender bodies have become short and fat. Physiological functions have also undergone profound changes, and their ability to withstand low temperatures has increased. As the years passed and the centuries changed, they finally turned into modern penguins and became the indigenous inhabitants of the Antarctic region.
Although the above statement is a bit bizarre, it is not completely made out of nothing. It has some scientific basis. Paleontologists have discovered penguin-like fossils in Antarctica. The analysis results suggest that this penguin-like bird at that time had some characteristics of amphibians. It was about 1 meter tall and weighed 9.3 kilograms. Perhaps it was the predecessor of penguins.
At a certain time, they will go to hard ice to mate and have babies. The couple took turns taking care of baby and returning to the sea to eat. When BB grows up, his parents will return to the sea and no longer care about him, and the couple will part ways from then on. BB will go to live in the sea at a certain time. After four years, it will mate and reproduce just like its parents. Parents will also go.
Elephants love to eat rocks and dirt. Is this true? Of course it's true. To prevent malnutrition. Elephants regularly eat rocks or soil rich in mineral salts to replenish salts and nutrients. They also love to take baths, and there are many types of baths: water baths, mud baths, dust baths, etc.
You will definitely say that elephants are really stupid. Aren’t the mud and dust getting dirtier the more they are washed? In fact, elephants use mud and dust to maintain and massage their skin. Do you think that applying a thick layer of mud to your body under the scorching sun in Africa is like applying sunscreen? Moreover, it is completely natural.
Elephants’ living habits and appearance
Lions are the only cats that like to live in groups. There are about 20 to 30 members in a lion pride, which often includes successive generations of female lions, at least one adult male lion and some growing cubs and lion babies. Lionesses form the core of lion prides and rarely leave their birthplace. A pride may contain several adult males, but only one is definitely the leader.
Adult male lions often do not stay with the lion group. They have to wander around the territory all year round to defend the entire territory. Generally, they can be the leader of the lion group for several months to several years, depending on whether they have Powerful enough to defeat the alien lion. The number of pride members ranges from 4 to 37, with an average of 15. The territorial area of ??each lion pride is quite clear, which can be as small as 20 square kilometers in areas with abundant prey; while in areas with sparse prey, they may have to establish territories as large as 400 square kilometers. When a young male lion is strong enough (usually 5 years old), he will defeat the old king of a certain lion group and become the new ruler. Most female lions stay in their original prides when they mature, while some are driven away and join other prides. Members of the lion pride usually disperse into several small groups to spend each day, and they will come together when hunting or eating together.
Lions will try to avoid encounters with other lions. Male lions mark their territory by roaring and scenting their urine. They usually roar before hunting each night and before waking up at dawn to begin activities. Male lions urinate in bushes, trees, or simply on the ground, or leave pungent-smelling marks on frequented pathways to declare their territory. Sometimes, male lions also smear their droppings on bushes to use as markings. When encountering an intruder, or just a strange lion passing by by chance, the male lion will roar to warn the intruder, "Don't approach, otherwise you will be killed!" Sometimes the menacing foreign male lion may be the internal strength of the lion group. The young lion who has strengthened to a certain extent will challenge the current lion king and try to replace him. At this time, a fierce life-and-death fight is inevitable. It is a blessing among misfortunes that the defeated can escape with bruises and scars. Most of the time, it is do-or-die for both the challenger and the defending champion, with no other choice.
Lions prey on a wide range of prey, from small gazelles and baboons to huge buffalo and even hippopotamus, but they are more willing to prey on ungulates of medium or larger size. Animals such as zebras, impalas, and other species of antelope. Sometimes lions also try to hunt wild boars and ostriches. In fact, lions eat any meat they can find, including carrion that they snatch from thylacines using force or intimidation. If you had to list a diet for lions, it would probably include all mammals on the African continent that can weigh more than 1kg, as well as many kinds of birds and some reptiles, such as turtles. In a pride of lions, female lions are the main hunters. Although lions can run at speeds of up to 60 kilometers per hour, their prey often outruns them. When hunting, these big cats do not pay attention to the direction of the wind, thus often exposing their scent to their prey; and because the small hearts compared to their huge bodies, lions lack the endurance to pursue long distances and only sprint a short distance Then I was exhausted. Therefore, most of the time they have to return empty-handed. No matter what, lions always approach the target cautiously when hunting, try their best to use all available barriers to hide themselves, approach the prey to within a range of more than thirty meters, and then suddenly and quickly pounce towards the target. . The lioness clings to the prey while running, then bites the prey's neck until it suffocates to death. At this time, other members of the lion group will rush in to enjoy the meal. In the melee, the stronger male lions often get the most and the best meat, while the smaller lion cubs only get a little or even nothing. Female lions often hunt in groups. The members of the pride spread out to form a fan shape to surround a group of prey, surround the prey in the middle, and then approach from all directions, waiting for an opportunity to find an unlucky guy when the surrounded group of animals rushes in panic. Take action.
Perhaps because the overly flamboyant mane makes it easy for male lions to expose their targets, they rarely participate in hunting. However, it is obvious that their hunting ability should not be underestimated. When dealing with large prey such as buffalo and adult hippopotamus, the hard claws and powerful canines of male lions may be more effective. Naturally, in the order of eating within the pride, male lions have unobjectionable priority, followed by female lions, while the cubs can only wait to pick up some broken bones and meat. After the lion fills its stomach, it will find a nearby water source to replenish enough water, and then rest nearby for several days. If there is no water source nearby, lions can endure thirst for a longer period of time because the flesh and blood of fresh prey is already rich in water. After eating more than 34 kilograms of meat in one meal, an adult male lion can rest for a week before hunting again.
If there is enough prey, male and female lions will only spend 2 to 3 hours hunting every day in the early morning, dusk, or night, and spend the rest of the time sleeping and resting, or even just sitting there doing nothing.