Are Maneless Tsavo Lions Prone to Male Pattern Baldness?
The male lions of Tsavo, Kenya, which gained notoriety in the late 19th century as man-eaters, are unusual for two reasons. They lack the majestic golden mane commonly associated with male lions, and they have been found to have an uncommon family life, according to a report. “When we began this study there really was a question whether there was such a thing as a maneless lion,” said Bruce Patterson, MacArthur Curator of Mammals at the Field Museum in Chicago and co-author of the study.
The maneless lions had no trouble attracting a healthy harem of females the Tsavo prides were surprisingly large, with seven or eight females, and were ruled by a single male lion. By contrast, Serengeti prides were slightly smaller, with six or seven females, and were ruled by a consortium of two to four males. “None of the Tsavo prides had more than one male, which makes them very distinctive,” said Patterson.
