From rare black-maned and white lions to epic battles on the plains, these videos show the "king of beasts." POV: If A Lion Bit You, Here's What You'd See
Open wide!
When curious lions pick up a GoPro, we get an up-close look inside
their mouths, and can even learn something about their health status.
Christof Schoeman, a professional field guide for Tintswalo Safari
Lodge in South Africa, plants GoPros in areas with high animal traffic
to collect video of their behavior. Sometimes, animals like the adult
lionesses in this video get curious when they spot the camera.
The footage was taken in 2014 at Timbavati Game Reserve, which
borders the Greater Kruger National Park. The first lioness is about
four to five years old and the second may be a year or two older,
according to National Geographic explorers who viewed the footage.
Extremely Rare White Lions Caught on Camera
In September 2014, a white lion cub was spotted in Singita
Kruger National Park. While hundreds of these animals exist in
captivity, only 13 remain in the wild, making the sighting rare. Black Bean Productions
set out to capture footage of these remarkable big cats, whose
coloration is not albinism but is caused by a less severe mutation.
This video is presented from our Short Film Showcase. The filmmakers
created the content presented, and the opinions expressed are their own,
not those of National Geographic. See more from National Geographic's Short Film Showcase.
A Riveting Encounter with a Rare Black-Maned Lion
In the Harenna Forest of Bale Mountains National Park in Ethiopia,
National Geographic Explorer and University of Utah biology professor Çağan Şekercioğlu was doing mammal road surveys when he had a very rare encounter with one of the park’s famous black-maned male lions.
There are believed to be only around 50 lions left in the park. The
distinct features found in Ethiopian lions in the wild make them of
particular interest to lion geneticists. With dwindling numbers, their
conservation is of great concern.
Learn more about the National Geographic Big Cats Initiative, a global initiative that supports scientists and conservationists working to save big cats in the wild.
Ride Along With a Team of Lion Protectors
Join 2016 National Geographic Emerging Explorer Thandiwe Mweetwa on a
mission to track down lions. This carnivore conservationist has
dedicated her life to preserving Africa’s disappearing lion population
through scientific research, animal rescue, and community outreach.
TIL: Female Lions Synchronize Their “Periods”
While researching lions in Zambia, biologist Thandiwe Mweetwa
noticed that lionesses within a pride will all have cubs around the
same time. When she looked into it further, Mweetwa learned lionesses sync their fertility cycles so that they can all raise their young together.
There's a reason for that. “Synchronized estrus is thought to
increase reproductive success in the pride,” says Mweetwa, a National
Geographic emerging explorer. Having cubs at the same time means that
mother lions can rely on each other to nurse, babysit, and protect the
youngsters.
This safety in numbers also allows more lions to survive to
adulthood. Predation is a great threat to small, vulnerable babies in
any species, but if all babies are born at the same time, there are only
so many that predators can eat.
If young are born at different times throughout the year, predators could use them as a steady source of food.
Even so, many still die: More than half of all African lion cubs don’t make it past their first year. They're at risk from predation, disease, abandonment, starvation, and being killed by an outside male.
Hyenas Take Lion's Leftovers, Incur His Wrath
On the African savannah, nothing goes to waste—especially food. After
this lion was done enjoying its kill, the scavengers arrived. Hyenas
chased off the smaller jackals, fighting amongst themselves for the
prize. Attracted by the noise, the lion returns to scare away the
hyenas. Having already eaten the nurtient-rich organs like the liver and
heart, the lion is no longer interested in the scraps.
Journey to India, where rural communities are working with the
government to create a haven for the last remaining Asiatic lions in the
wild. These majestic creatures once roamed a range stretching from the
Middle East to Asia. Today, fewer than 500 survive. Filmmaker Roshan Patel documents the proud efforts of local people to protect this critically endangered species.
Asia’s Last Lions
This video is presented from our Short Film Showcase. The filmmakers
created the content presented, and the opinions expressed are their own,
not those of National Geographic. See more from National Geographic's Short Film Showcase.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/08/best-lion-videos-spd/
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/08/best-lion-videos-spd/
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