subject: The Panthera Family [print this page] The Panthera Family The Panthera Family
Usually, it is brown to black in color. It has been observed that the color changes are associated with how healthy the lion in. The darker and fuller the mane, the healthier, sexually capable and stronger the lion is. Males with darker and fuller manes are more preferred by females for mating. They are depicted to be stronger and more agile than the rest. Research in Tanzania has shown that mane length depicts fighting success with other males. The genes of lions with longer fuller manes are said to be stronger and the offspring survives more than those of weaker males. They also have a longer sexual life.
In the hottest months, lions with fuller manes suffer a lot because of the heat. They get a good insulation during the cold season unlike the females who do not have a mane. In a pride with more than one male, the females mate more often with the one with a fuller, darker mane. The lion's mane makes it look bigger and stronger to the enemies. When it is threatened, the mane becomes puffed up and fuller thus intimidating any adversary.
According to how cool region is the fuller the mane. The lions found in very cold places have a fuller and darker mane than those in warm areas. In Kenya, manes less lions have been spotted in the Tsavo. In Senegal, it has been reported that they too exist. It is not actually known why some lions do not develop a mane but it is thought that weaker genes are the cause. Environmental factors were also thought to play a minor part in this too.
