Have you been close to hear the frightening roar of a lion? Their reputation precedes them. An article [Ingo R. Titze: Vocology] examines “the secret of lion’s vocal cords which causes the lion’s roar,” says there are some similarities between a lion’s roar and a baby’s cry. Both have “very loose and gel-like” vocal folds that make irregular vibrations creating rough sounds (low-frequency in the cats, high-pitched in the babies) and draw our attention. A lion’s roar is delivered in bouts, lasting up to 90 seconds, consisting of up to 50 calls. A lion can roar about 25 times louder than a gas-powered lawn mower. A male lion may roar to let the other members of the pride know that all is well. A lion’s roar is familiar. A human may hear the roar up to 5 miles. Lions can communicate with each other beyond that distance. Lions are social animals and communicate with each other, about what? The sound of a lion’s roar can be like a phone call home. A male lion may roar to let the other pride members know that all is well. The female lion’s roar is usually different than the male’s roar–much quieter and she can call out for roaming or lost cubs; can give a roar to bring the other adult pride members back to help in case of danger. A lion’s roar can be explained rather simplistically. It’s like a quick status update. Lions are the second largest of the big cats, after tigers. Male lions may mate up to 100 times in two days, ensuring pregnancy. Each mating lasts only a few seconds. Female lions are pregnant for about 3½ months. Lion prides are described as matriarchal. The dominant male in a pride must mate with all the females and defend the pride from other males. The darker a male mane, the older he is; female lions prefer to mate with males that have the longest and darkest manes. It acts as a sexual signal to female lions, indicating the male’s health and virility. Males with darker manes show higher levels of testosterone, longer life expectancy and greater survival after wounding. It is the only member of the cat family that has a tasseled tail. When taking over a territory and pride, some male lions will form a “coalition,” or a group [or gangs] of 3 or 4 males. Lions are known as “the king of the jungle; do not live in jungle, but in grasslands and plains. The only species of cat that habitually live in large groups [prides]. References: Sarah Zielinski Smithsonian:11/3/2011Nature Center Magazine 4/29/2013 [Ratty] Fact Retriever By Karin Lehnardt, Senior Writer. Published December 28, 2016; Matt Walker; BBC Earth 7/30/2015
[Jeanette Grattan Parker, Ph.D. Founder-Superintendent of Today’s Fresh Start Charter School 4514 Crenshaw BL, Los Angeles, CA 90043 [all writing is copyright. [email protected]; Will You Marry Me. Inquiring Minds Want To Know]
