Inside The Short Life Of The Serengeti Lion (PHOTOS)

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota
Inside The Short Life Of The Serengeti Lion (PHOTOS) HPFB.init();
HuffPost's QuickRead...ShareBox.ad = function (tag_id){if ($(tag_id) == undefined) return; if ($(tag_id).innerHTML != '') return;ad_spec = {"zone_info": "huffpost.green","ord": 1375812568,"tile": 3,"width": 300,"height": 250,"el_id": tag_id + "_js","class_name": "ad_block ad_wide top","type": "iframe"}HuffPoUtil.WEDGJE.write(ad_spec, tag_id);};Loading... HuffPost's QuickRead... Loading... Animals iPhone app iPad app Android phone app Android tablet app More Log in Create Account Notifications Profile Settings Logout #topnav_margin_btm { margin:0 !important } .back-to-aol {display: inline-block !important;float: left;padding-top: 25px;position: absolute;} August 6, 2013 Edition: U.S. CA Canada FR France IT Italia JP ?? (Japan)MG Maghreb ES España US United States UK United Kingdom FRONT PAGE Politics America's 'Hottest' Politician?4.8k RNC Threatens To Boycott CNN, NBC Over Hillary Clinton Films15k George W. Bush Hospitalized After Procedure To Open Blocked Heart Artery1k You'll Never Guess Who Made The NRA's New Enemies List6k House GOP Keeps Defunding Group That's Been Gone For 3 Years10k Go to Politics More in Politics Pollster Politics Blog Speculatron Off The Bus Election Maps You might also like World Green Black Voices Latino Voices Gay Voices Business Restaurant Chains On The Verge Of Extinction1.5k President Bill Clinton: Don't Worry About Yesterday, Embrace Tomorrow421 The Problem Isn't The Minimum Wage9.6k Powerball Jackpot Climbs To $400 Million529 Larry Summers Defended Enron813 Go to Business More in Business Small Business Money You might also like World Tech Media Arts Sports Weird News Crime Smarter Ideas Media CNN Hits Back At RNC2.6k CNN Announces Big Shakeup555 SHOCKER: Washington Post Sold To Amazon Owner2.3k Oprah Speaks Out On Trayvon Martin4.7k Jeff Bezos Changed How We Buy Everything726 Go to Media More in Media Eat The Press Calderone: The Backstory You might also like Entertainment TV Comedy Arts Books Religion Moviefone World State Dept. Orders Evacuation Of Embassy In Yemen2.9k U.S. Extends Embassy Closures Amid Terror 'Chatter'3.4k Official: Fukushima Leak Is An 'Emergency'1.8k LOOK: German Boy Finds Mummy In Grandma's Attic110 11-Year-Old Set On Fire After Resisting Rape, Dies Of Her Injuries1.4k Go to World More in World Foreign Affairs Drug War Afghanistan Syria Conflict World Videos You might also like Travel Politics Business Tech Religion Science 'Impossible' Material Created By Scientists Overseas624 How Does The 'Frankenburger' Actually Taste?327 Researchers Make Rare Dino Find186 Space Rock May Be Part Of Threatening Asteroid Gang, Study Suggests121 Cosmic 'Graveyard' Discovered By South American Astronomers132 Go to Science More in Science Space Brain Earth Talk Nerdy To Me Weird Science You might also like Tech Green Arts Religion Weird News Tech LOOK: Is This Woman 'Too Pretty' To Be A Web Developer?355 Is Taylor Swift Secretly Lurking On 4chan?33 The Reason People Have Suddenly Stopped Buying Tablets130 The 3D-Printed Rifle Is Getting Stronger By The Week1.2k This Week In Apple Rumors159 Go to Tech More in Tech TEDWeekends Social Media You might also like Small Business Green Science New York San Francisco Smarter Ideas TechCrunch Engadget Healthy Living 6 Things Hawaiians Can Teach The Rest Of America About Living Better556 Leigh Lost 183 Pounds: 'It Is Possible -- And So, So Worth It'14 An Introvert's Guide To Surviving (And Thriving) In The Workplace85 How You Can Train Your Mind To Do The Impossible82 Researchers Find Brain Differences Between Asperger's And Autism162 Go to Healthy Living More in Healthy Living GPS for the Soul Health and Fitness Health News Becoming Fearless Sleep You might also like Food Post 50 Taste Religion OWN Taste The Ultimate Iced Coffee Taste Test46 15 Recipes Loaded With Snickers These Coffee Grounds Will Get You Drunk 14 Of The Most Ridiculous Bottle Openers37 We Need To Eat All The Oysters16 Go to Taste More in Taste Recipes Baking Entertaining Healthy Eating Taste Tests Thanksgiving You might also like Food Healthy Living Travel OWN Impact Fund For Ohio Kidnapping Victims Spikes After Castro Sentencing88 Owners Toting Fake 'Service Dogs' To Gain Access To Clubs30 5 Ways To Help Give Sharks A Fightin' Chance55 Solar Power Is Making Camps Safer For Refugees 16 Ways The Internet Has Proved It Has A Heart Go to Impact More in Impact Opportunity Greatest Person Charity Homelessness Volunteering Heroes You might also like Education Black Voices Gay Voices Latino Voices LIVE Next Top Party Schools Next 'Impossible' Material Created In Sweden Coming Up The Most & Least Friendly US Cities Coming Up Lay Down The Law: Free Speech Coming Up CeeLo Green & Goodie Mob LIVE Go to HuffPost Live ALL SECTIONS NewsPoliticsWorldBusinessSmall BusinessMoneyMediaSportsEducationCrimeWeird NewsGood NewsEntertainmentEntertainmentCelebrityComedyArts & CultureBooksTVLife & StyleHealthy LivingGPS for the SoulStyleHomeFoodTaste WeddingsTravelParentsDivorceHuff/Post 50Marlo ThomasOWNTech & ScienceTechScienceGreenTEDWeekendsVoicesWomenBlack VoicesLatino VoicesVoces (en español)Gay VoicesReligionCollegeTeenImpactLocalChicagoDCDenverDetroitMiamiNew YorkLos AngelesSan FranciscoOur Mobile Apps iPhoneiPadHuffPost Live iPadAndroid PhoneAndroid Tablet GreenEnergyClimate ChangeAnimalsSaving StraysGirls in STEMKeystone XL PipelineFracking .header-search {margin-bottom: 0px;}

The Huffington Post | By Melissa Jeltsen  | Posted: 08/06/13 EDT

Inside The Short Life Of The Serengeti Lion (PHOTOS) .badges_v2 .badge_v2_facebook_ipad_app:after {content:'Share';padding-left: 14px;text-align: center;width: 41px;}.badges_v2 .badge_v2_email_ipad_app:after {content:'Email';padding-left: 22px;}.badges_v2 .badge_v2_comments_ipad_app:after {content:'Comment';padding-left: 11px;}.badges_v2 .badge_v2_retweet_ipad_app:after {content:'Tweet';padding-left: 20px;} Get Green Newsletters:Subscribe #news_entries #ad_sharebox_260x60 img {padding:0px;margin:0px} Follow:National Geographic, Serengeti National Park, Lions, Serengeti, Serengeti Lions, Green News

National Geographic takes readers inside the world-famous Serengeti National Park in its August issue for a striking glimpse at the life of the Serengeti lion.

Much of what we know about the African lion comes from a study in Serengeti National Park, beginning in the 1960s and still continuing today. Home to the largest migration of land animals on the planet, Jane Goodman has called the Serengeti one of the seven wonders of the world.

In the feature story, readers follow C-Boy, a dark-maned Serengeti lion, as he dodges death and navigates lion society. As the story explains:

Tigers are solitary. Cougars are solitary. No leopard wants to associate with a bunch of other leopards. The lion is the only feline that’s truly social, living in prides and coalitions, the size and dynamics of which are determined by an intricate balance of evolutionary costs and benefits.

Check out the gorgeous photos, taken by Michael Nichols for National Geographic, below:

This is C-Boy. “Mostly lions die because they kill each other,” explains leading lion researcher Craig Packer. “The number one cause of death for lions, in an undisturbed environment, is other lions.”

C-Boy and a Vumbi female relax between matings.

Hildur, C-Boy’s partner, frequently makes a long run to visit the Simba East pride. A coalition that controls two prides must maintain vigilance over both.

Cubs of the Simba East pride: too young to kill but old enough to crave meat. Adult females, and sometimes males, do the hunting. Zebras and wildebeests rank high as chosen prey in the rainy season.

A female wrangles her infant cubs. During the first few weeks, when they’re too young for the competitive jumble among older cubs in the pride and so vulnerable to predators, she keeps them hidden away in a den. But these will soon join the group. Half of all cubs die before age two.

Older cubs like these Vumbi youngsters are raised together as a crèche, or nursery group. Pride females, united in the cause of rearing a generation, nurse and groom their own and others’ offspring.

The Vumbi females—their pride name is Swahili for “dust”—kill a warthog they’ve dragged from its burrow. Such small meals help bridge the lean, hungry, dry season, when cubs may otherwise starve.

Dry season is hard on everyone. Vumbi females, stressed and fiercely protective of their young, get cross with C-Boy, though he’s one of the resident fathers.

To see more photos of Serengti lions, pick up the August issue of National Georgraphic.

Also on HuffPost:

Loading Slideshow

Female liliger cub Kiara, a hybrid between a lion and a ligress, at the Novosibirsk Zoo, in Novosibirsk, eastern Sibiria, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2012. Kiara is the first female liliger born over a month ago at the Novosibirsk Zoo. Kiara's mother, Zita, stopped producing milk almost immediately after giving birth, so Zoo employees placed Kiara in a separate facility and feed her with a special milk mix. The cub plays with a house cat which also provides motherly warmth. (AP Photo /Ilnar Salakhiev)

Female liliger cub Kiara, a hybrid between a lion and a ligress, at the Novosibirsk Zoo, in Novosibirsk, eastern Sibiria, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2012. Kiara is the first female liliger born over a month ago at the Novosibirsk Zoo. Kiara's mother, Zita, stopped producing milk almost immediately after giving birth, so Zoo employees placed Kiara in a separate facility and feed her with a special milk mix. The cub plays with a house cat which also provides motherly warmth. (AP Photo /Ilnar Salakhiev)

Female liliger cub Kiara, a hybrid between a lion and a ligress, at the Novosibirsk Zoo, in Novosibirsk, eastern Sibiria, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2012. Kiara is the first female liliger born over a month ago at the Novosibirsk Zoo. Kiara's mother, Zita, stopped producing milk almost immediately after giving birth, so Zoo employees placed Kiara in a separate facility and feed her with a special milk mix. The cub plays with a house cat which also provides motherly warmth. (AP Photo /Ilnar Salakhiev)

Female liliger cub Kiara, a hybrid between a lion and a ligress, plays at the Novosibirsk Zoo, in Novosibirsk, eastern Sibiria, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2012. Kiara is the first female liliger born over a month ago at the Novosibirsk Zoo. Kiara's mother, Zita, stopped producing milk almost immediately after giving birth, so Zoo employees placed Kiara in a separate facility and feed her with a special milk mix. The cub plays with a house cat which also provides motherly warmth. (AP Photo /Ilnar Salakhiev)

Female liliger cub Kiara, a hybrid between a lion and a ligress, plays at the Novosibirsk Zoo, in Novosibirsk, eastern Sibiria, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2012. Kiara is the first female liliger born over a month ago at the Novosibirsk Zoo. Kiara's mother, Zita, stopped producing milk almost immediately after giving birth, so Zoo employees placed Kiara in a separate facility and feed her with a special milk mix. The cub plays with a house cat which also provides motherly warmth. (AP Photo /Ilnar Salakhiev)

Female liliger cub Kiara, a hybrid between a lion and a ligress, plays with a cat at the Novosibirsk Zoo, in Novosibirsk, eastern Sibiria, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2012. Kiara is the first female liliger born over a month ago at the Novosibirsk Zoo. Kiara's mother, Zita, stopped producing milk almost immediately after giving birth, so Zoo employees placed Kiara in a separate facility and feed her with a special milk mix. (AP Photo /Ilnar Salakhiev)

Female liliger cub Kiara, a hybrid between a lion and a ligress, plays with a Zoo keeper at the Novosibirsk Zoo, in Novosibirsk, eastern Sibiria, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2012. Kiara is the first female liliger born over a month ago at the Novosibirsk Zoo. Kiara's mother, Zita, stopped producing milk almost immediately after giving birth, so Zoo employees placed Kiara in a separate facility and feed her with a special milk mix. (AP Photo /Ilnar Salakhiev)

Female liliger cub Kiara, a hybrid between a lion and a ligress, at the Novosibirsk Zoo, in Novosibirsk, eastern Sibiria, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2012. Kiara is the first female liliger born over a month ago at the Novosibirsk Zoo. Kiara's mother, Zita, stopped producing milk almost immediately after giving birth, so Zoo employees placed Kiara in a separate facility and feed her with a special milk mix. The cub plays with a house cat which also provides motherly warmth. (AP Photo /Ilnar Salakhiev)

Female liliger cub Kiara, a hybrid between a lion and a ligress, plays at the Novosibirsk Zoo, in Novosibirsk, eastern Sibiria, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2012. Kiara is the first female liliger born over a month ago at the Novosibirsk Zoo. Kiara's mother, Zita, stopped producing milk almost immediately after giving birth, so Zoo employees placed Kiara in a separate facility and feed her with a special milk mix. The cub plays with a house cat which also provides motherly warmth. (AP Photo /Ilnar Salakhiev)

Meet the World's First Liliger

What's thought to be world's first liliger, a hybrid of a lion and a liger, has been born at a zoo in Russia's Siberia. .

#hp-slideshow-wrapper-252323 .hp-slideshow-wrapper-loading-div{font-family:Arial,"Helvetica Neue",Helvetica,sans-serif!important;display:none!important;}#hp-slideshow-wrapper-252323.hp-slideshow-wrapper-loading .hp-slideshow-wrapper-loading-div{display:block!important;text-align:center;padding:10px;background:#fff;border-radius: 8px;margin:40% 180px auto !important;box-shadow:0 4px 6px rgba(0,0,0,.5);}#hp-slideshow-wrapper-252323.hp-slideshow-wrapper-loading .hp-slideshow-wrapper-loading-div em{font-size:14px!important;line-height:16px!important;font-style:normal!important;color:#777!important;margin:0 0 6px !important;display:block;}#hp-slideshow-wrapper-252323.hp-slideshow-wrapper-loading .hp-ss-wrapper{display:none;}#hp-slideshow-wrapper-252323.hp-slideshow-wrapper-loading ul{width:5px!important;height:5px!important;overflow:hidden!important;position:absolute!important;font-size:4px!important;}#hp-slideshow-wrapper-252323.hp-slideshow-wrapper-loading{background:#e3e3e3!important;padding:10px!important;width:570px!important;height:555px!important;} Contribute to this Story: Send us a tip Send us a photo or video Suggest a correction FOLLOW GREEN Like 141k   Subscribe #taboola-autosized-1r-organic { padding-top: 20px; } #taboola-autosized-generated-2r { padding-top: 20px; } #taboola-autosized-1r-sc { padding-top: 20px; } From our partners A Warmer World May Be More Violent, Study Shows - Climate Central Star Trails, Milky Way Illuminate National Parks - Mother Nature Network Right-Wing, Left-Wing, We All Like Utility Bill Savings - Earth Techling
#ad_bottom_article_text {margin-bottom: 15px} Around the Web:

Opinion: Imagining a World Without Lions

Will fences save Africa's lion king?

Lion Conservation

    Comments2Pending Comments0 View FAQ Previewing Your Comment. This comment has not yet been posted You have exceeded your word limit by    words. Please click the "Edit" button and shorten your comment.

Post Comment Edit Cancel

You can post to us this information Contact us Click here to leave a comment.HuffPost High School welcomes a lively, thoughtful debate in the comment section. Keep in mind that the articles here are penned by young authors, so please keep criticism respectful, and help us to keep this a safe and supportive place for writers of all ages to contribute.Post CommentPreview Comment To reply to a Comment: Click "Reply" at the bottom of the comment; after being approved your comment will appear directly underneath the comment you replied to. Post Comment Preview Comment To reply to a Comment: Click "Reply" at the bottom of the comment; after being approved your comment will appear directly underneath the comment you replied to.

Share your Comment:

Post to Facebook. Post to Blogger. Post to Twitter. Post to WordPress. Post to TypePad. Post to Tumblr. Post to Yahoo! Blogger login: Blogger password: Select blog: refresh list Remember me: Wordpress host: Wordpress login: Wordpress password: Remember me: TypePad host: TypePad login: TypePad password: Select blog: refresh list Remember me: Tumblr login: Tumblr password: Remember me: Community Notice:  We've made some changes to our badge program, including the addition
of our newest badge: Community Curator. View AllFavorites Recency |  Popularity PilatunesBest described as miscellaneous215 Fans   25 minutes ago ( 1:05 PM)It is an absolute disgrace that trophy hunting of lions is still permitted and it's a national disgrace that the VAST majority of the hunters are American.Pilatunes: It is an absolute disgrace that trophy hunting of lionshttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Pilatunes/serengeti-lions_n_3713183_274934774.htmlHistory |Permalink |Share itThis comment has been down-ranked into oblivion. View comment You have not right to carry out this operation or Error this operation. Loading comments… Is Reality Real63 Fans 53 minutes ago (12:36 PM)The fact that our actions are destroying biological treasures to extinction all over the world is such a shame. If these animals go extinct I cant help but feel some personal responsibility because I didn't do enough to ensure there survival.Is_Reality_Real: The fact that our actions are destroying biological treasures tohttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Is_Reality_Real/serengeti-lions_n_3713183_274926357.htmlHistory |Permalink |Share itThis comment has been down-ranked into oblivion. View comment You have not right to carry out this operation or Error this operation. Loading comments…    new comment(s) on this entry — Click to refreshLoading comments… Most Popular 'Impossible' Material Created By Scientists Overseas The Top Party Schools James Bond Actor Officially Comes Out, Reveals He's Married Chris Brown: I'm Quitting Music OUCH! Russell Brand Jokes About Sex With Katy Perry Miley Cyrus Strikes A Pose In Her Underwear How Porn Sex Is Different From Real Sex 20 Marriage Problems Real Women Face 6 Things Hawaiians Can Teach The Rest Of America About Living Better Weiner's Sexting Partner Releases Porn Video Because Of Course Mumford & Sons Gets A Makeover Rookie English Teacher Had Sex With 15-Year-Old Student, Police Say Jennifer Aniston Is GORGEOUS Without Makeup Restaurant Chains On The Verge Of Extinction WATCH: Footage Shows Car Crashing Into Beach Pedestrians 17 Crazy Ideas That Are Borderline Genius Jennifer Garner Suffers Mini Wardrobe Malfunction Lea Michele Attends Friend's Party, Looks Beautiful Alec Baldwin's Wife Looks VERY Pregnant Follow HuffPost Email Facebook Twitter Google Plus RSS Mobile HuffPost Daily Brief Green Get top stories and blogs posts emailed to you each day.

HuffPost Green HuffPost Green HuffPost Green Most Popular on HuffPost Latest News Green View all RSS feeds 11 Homemade Sheds To Fill Your Storage Needs

Any Color So Long As It's Green: 10 Natural Paints

5 Magic Ways To Upcycle PVC Pipes

Scribol »  
Advertise | Make HuffPost your Home Page | RSS | Careers | FAQ User Agreement | Privacy | Comment Policy | About Us | About Our Ads | Contact Us Copyright © 2013 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc. | "The Huffington Post" is a registered trademark of TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc. All rights reserved. Part of HPMG News
HuffPost Lightbox