The Role of Food and Mates in Shaping Asiatic Lion Societies

Abstract

Asiatic lions, once widespread from Persia to eastern India, are now confined as a single population in the Gir forests and the adjoining agropastoral human-dominated landscape of Gujarat, western India. These lions inhabit forested habitats with small and medium sized prey that are found at relatively uniform seasonal densities. In this chapter, we present information on the historic and current distribution of Asiatic lions, and their evolutionary origins. We further delve into the effect of prey size and availability, coupled with habitat characteristics on hunting strategies, prey acquisition, male and female group sizes, and territoriality. From our long-term observations of lion behavior, we comment on the possible drivers of sociality in this unique population. Additionally, based on a cross population analysis from lions in east Africa and Gir, we discuss the causes and consequences of sexual segregation in Asiatic lions, and highlight the uniqueness of their social and mating strategies. We end with the prospects of potential research in this landscape, as well as the need for comparative studies on lion behavior across populations that inhabit different eco-regions.