# Kings of the Jungle (DD-134)

> Lions (Panthera leo) are the most social wild cats, living in prides of related females, their cubs and a coalition of one or more adult males. Females do most of the hunting, often cooperatively, while males defend the pride's territory. Lionesses in a pride often give birth around the same time and nurse cubs communally. Despite the nickname 'king of the jungle', lions mostly live in savanna and grassland, not jungle. The footage shows lions resting and hunting, with the presenter.

- Department: Nature
- First published: 2023-12-21
- Last updated: 2023-12-21
- Permalink: https://detailenjoyer.com/case/kings-of-the-jungle/
- Original Reel title: Kings of the Jungle 🦁
- Author: Marcus Easterling (DetailEnjoyer), The Detail Department

## Quick facts

- **DD-134-F01**: Lions live in prides. _(Write-up · Exhibit A (Prides))_
- **DD-134-F02**: Prides center on related females. _(Write-up · Exhibit B (Related females))_

## Write-up

Lions are the only truly social big cats. Lionesses in a pride often give birth together and nurse each other's cubs.

1. **Prides**: Lions live in prides.
2. **Related females**: Prides center on related females.
3. **Female hunters**: Females do most hunting.
4. **Males defend**: Males defend the territory.
5. **Communal nursing**: Lionesses often nurse cubs communally.

## Related case files

- [Tigers (DD-112)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/tigers/): I paired it with another big cat
- [Fast Cats (DD-136)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/fast-cats/): I paired it with another African big cat

## Reel vs. record

- **Note**: 'The only cats that live in groups': lions are the only truly social big cats, but some other cats, like male cheetah coalitions and feral house cats, form groups too.
- **Note**: 'King of the jungle': lions live mainly in savanna, not jungle.

## Video: Kings of the Jungle: Lions Are the Only Truly Social Big Cats

- Duration: 22.8 s · Published: 2023-12-21
- File: https://detailenjoyer.com/assets/videos/C1I78V3NDHx.mp4

### Transcript

Lions are the only cats that live in groups known as prides. DID YOU KNOW? These social structures are crucial for hunting cooperatively, defending territory, and caring for the young. In a pride females are often the primary hunters, working together to take down prey while males guard the territory. Lionesses synchronize their reproductive cycles which can result in communal nursing and shared responsibility for the cubs among the pride. NOW YOU KNOW!

## Questions & answers

**Q: What are lion groups called?**  
A: Social units. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Prides) · Wikipedia: Lion)_

**Q: Who forms the core of a pride?**  
A: Plus cubs and males. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (Related females) · Wikipedia: Lion)_

**Q: Who does most hunting?**  
A: Often cooperatively. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (Female hunters) · Wikipedia: Lion)_

**Q: What do males mainly do?**  
A: Against rivals. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Males defend) · Wikipedia: Lion)_

**Q: How do lionesses raise cubs?**  
A: Nursing each other's cubs. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (Communal nursing) · Wikipedia: Lion)_

## Sources

- [Wikipedia: Lion](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lion)

## Cite this case file

Easterling, Marcus. "Kings of the Jungle." The Detail Department (DetailEnjoyer), case file DD-134, last updated Dec 21, 2023. https://detailenjoyer.com/case/kings-of-the-jungle/