Lions: Stronger together

Stronger Together    (Photo by Benh Lieu Song)

Lions have their pride.  In the feline world, that’s no sin.  In fact, it’s the saving grace for these strategic cats.

Cats, whether big or small, are somewhat hardwired to be solitary.  Most claim their    turf in hermitlike fashion, which has its advantages.  However, a lone feline is often

outnumbered by herds of more sociable mammals. Therefore, even lightning-fast cheetahs are known to starve in the wild.

One fair day, a bunch of lions held a convention.  Some females decided to hunt together.  This enabled them to take down larger prey and protect it from scavengers.  Other females were assigned to babysitting detail.  This enabled young cubs to safely mature.  And the males?  They developed a mighty roar, scary enough to keep enemies away.

What is the glue that has held these prides together?  In a word:  trust.  When a group realizes that it is stronger together, trust becomes an essential ingredient.  Rather than pit one against the other, the group fosters affectionate communication and mutual aid. 

Resources

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/extraordinary-cats-introduction/2171/

Copyright November 19, 2016 by Linda Van Slyke   All Rights Reserved