Feeding group demographic structure affects per capita food intake in African lions

The African lion ( Panthera leo Linnaeus, 1758) has evolved complex associations in which individuals’ survival is an interplay of cooperation among pride members. Although feeding behaviors of African lions are widely known, our understanding on how each age/sex class affect per capita intake of other individual members in a pride remains unclear. This study used long-term population monitoring data collected from 2003-2022 to assess how feeding group composition affects food per capita intakes of lion cubs, subadults, adult males and adult females. The results indicate that cub per capita food intake was reduced by increased numbers of cubs and subadults. For subadults, the per capita intake was reduced as the number of cubs, subadults and adult females increased. However, subadults increased their per capita intake rates when feeding together with both cubs and adult females. Adult females also showed competitive interactions when feeding at carcasses with cubs, subadults and fellow adult females. Nevertheless, the adult female per capita intake was increased when more females feed with cubs or subadults and when feeding in combination with cubs and adult males. For adult male lions, only increased numbers of adult females led to a reduced per capita intake at carcasses, reflecting competition. These varied effects on per capita food intake suggest how age and sex-based composition of feeding groups play a role in foraging success of the African lions and how food availability may influence the demographic composition of prides. Our findings emphasize the necessity of maintaining healthy prey populations to promote conservation of the few remaining African lion populations and ecosystems.