Why is the MALE LION the KING of the jungle?

Question

Ever notice that the female Lions do EVERYTHING and the male lion just sits around all day sun bathing?

The funny thing about this is that the male lion can easily destroy a female lion in a fight. Still... the male lion does next to nothing and the female lions hunt and kill.. but nurture as well.

What do you think about this situation? Seems to me like a Couch + Player relationship like in Football.

Answer 1

Also, lions eat before lionesses. This, to get the male bigger and stronger. Our next project should be to expand equality to the animal life too.

The lion is responsible for marking and defending the territory. To be defended and protected in a wild jungle may just be enough for the lioness to hunt and nurture?

Answer 2

Well, lions don't really live in jungles. Savannahs are more their style. Female lions hunt for and feed "lazy" males so that he is always ready to fight other male lions. See, male lions don't really *die*. They are *killed* by younger, stronger males who want their females. This happens to all prides eventually, and someday those younger, stronger males will also be killed by the next generation of bachelors.

'Course, these new males don't kill the females. They do, however, kill the cubs so the females will be ready to breed again (this time using the newcomers' DNA). Of course, the females don't want their cubs to die--that's why they make sure their male is well fed, rested, and battle-ready--but, if he loses, the lionesses will care for the new male just like the old one.

I really really wouldn't want to be a male lion. If there is only one male in the pride, there is a chance he'll have to fight more than one stronger male all by himself. That would suck.

PS--They are called the "King of the Jungle" beacause most folks imagine Africa as being forested. Also, lions are beautiful, hierarchal, and predatory--which causes people to associate them with nobility, human social systems, and power........plus, the mane looks cool.

Answer 3

Your research is flawed. The male lion provides protection from all other animals and most of all other independent male lions that would kill the cubs of the females pride if the male lion wasn't present.

Also the Bull Elephant is the real King of the Jungle.

Answer 4

Well, I've got 2 theories:
One: its the male who rules his pride, and keeps his harem under control. When a new lion defeats the older "king", he eats his prole so that the females don't waste time raising another lion's genes. Don't look bad of them its just the best way for them to ensure the continuation of their genes. Since the male lion governs, (and the KING obviously has to be a carnivore, a hunter, menacing), the male lion is the king.
Two: The male lion has the mane, which looks like a crown.

Anyway, the leopard is much more widespreades, covering a lot of types of biomes, it is also stronger pound by pound, being able to climb a tree with a prey 3 times its weight, and being more successful than a lion. The leopard is the king of the animals.
BTW: the Lion lives in the sabannah, and sabannahs are not grasslands per se.

Devil's advocette: that is false. Male lions are perfectly capable of hunting. In fact, they contribute to the hunt when the females cannot bring the prey down alone. And they can hunt alone too, and they do so when they get kicked out of the pride when they mature. Female lions cannot hunt alone...

Edit: oh, yeah? sorry to pop your bubble, but stronger males than females in mammals is a RULE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzauLasu8aA

Edit: Oh, they are different. Grasslands have a cold season and hot season, both with a lot of rains. Sabannahs have a dry and wet season. Also, grasslands don't have "islands" of trees scattered throughout, in fact, they have almost none at all. Quit tinkering with facts and science to please yourself and promote your answer.

Buffalos are not "small animals" mine is killing a buffalo.

the male lion is the superior among the lions, like it or not, it is just as capable of doing anything a female one does, but better. Hence, it is the king of the jungle.

Answer 5

"King of the Jungle" is just a nice sounding term for use in writing. In reality, many tigers could easily kill a male lion, and a cape buffalo is basically the most dangerous land animal on earth.

I think they are called "kings" because they are a perfect example of alpha males. Only one male is mating with an entire group of females, while the lesser males fight over whichever females the alpha doesn't want.

Answer 6

1) The male lions have a mane - looks a lot like nobility clothes / a crown. 2) Lions have a smooth body - no stripes. They look more "pure" (and panthers are smaller/leaner). 3) I'm pretty sure it's a western nickname - I heard Hindo culture reffers the same to tigers.

Answer 7

I take it that this is something that you have read, or see on television? Do you have any idea as to why the male sleeps all day? It is because female lions, when they are on 'heat' require 'servicing', on average, every 15 minutes. Allowing for the average size pride to have 6 females, and for the females to be responsive for most of the season.....It is called fatigue, not leisure time! Try looking up "Dr. Tatiana's Advice to all Creation", for the facts.

Answer 8

The obvious answer is because the male lion is male. If it were female, then it would be called queen. He is called the king (and not the farmer or merchant or sailor), because he rules. He is the animal in charge. He is bigger and stronger than the females, and dominates the African savannah.

The better question is, why is he called King of the JUNGLE?

-yk

Answer 9

Actually, male lions that have a pride don't hunt with the pride because they are protecting their territory, their pride, themselves, and their young. If they were distracted by hunting, another male lion would come in and take his territory, pride, drive him off(or kill him) and kill his offspring and take his genes out of the gene pool(which would be a good thing, would lions really want sub-par genes, i.e. unable to do their job, in the gene pool?).

Of course, you already know all this and are just trying to start ****, aren't you?

Answer 10

Have you ever heard a male lion roar? I was at the lion exhibit at the zoo once, and when he roared, the wooden walkway I was on shook!

But male lions don't like destroying female lions; they like to treat her the way this studly lion treats his lady.