Big Cats 24/7: What Is a Lion Pride and How Does It Work?

Have you ever wanted to meet a lion up close? How about a whole family of them?

In “Big Cats 24/7,” a team of wildlife filmmakers uses the latest filming technology to put you right inside the everyday lives of the Okavango Delta lions. As you watch each big cat hunting prey, protecting territory and lounging in the hot African sun, you might just start feeling like part of the family — or, perhaps most accurately, part of the pride.

Lion prides aren’t your average friend group. Although most big cats don’t live in units, these ferocious felines come together to survive harsh conditions and overcome the competition — and it’s all thanks to unique social structures that give every lion a crucial role to play.

Want to learn more about lion families? Jump into the world of “Big Cats 24/7” to get up close and personal with the “king of the jungle” — or perhaps more accurately, the king of the savannah!

What Is a Lion Pride?

If you sometimes describe yourself as an extrovert, you might have a thing or two in common with lions. That’s because these big kitties are the only truly social cats. Other species tend to be more “introverted,” avoiding large gatherings and groups just like your friend who’d rather spend Friday night at the library. Lions, meanwhile, work together on hunts and even share their meals.

But lions don’t just hang out with anyone. They live in carefully constructed social groups generally made up of:

• Lionesses: There are usually between two and 22 female lions in a pride. These may be related lionesses or newcomers welcomed to the pride to improve genetic diversity.

• Leading males: There may be more than one dominant male in a pride, and they’re often related. These teams of male lions, sometimes called coalitions, help create larger prides and protect against intruders.

• Cubs: A lion cub might stay with the pride permanently or stick around for a few years before either leaving or being driven out.

Although these prides are often family, newcomers sometimes join to bring genetic diversity and make the group even stronger.

No matter where they come from, all pride members have a role to play — and even the smallest miscalculation could mean trouble and tragedy for the whole group. Fortunately, prides generally have clear dynamics that tell every individual lion what to do, how to do it and what happens if they fail.

The Dynamics of a Lion Pride

It’s one thing to read about how a lion pride works — but in “Big Cats 24/7,” expert filmmakers put you right at the heart of the action. You’ll get to see how these animals interact with each other and their habitat, whether they’re hunting, playing or taking a well-earned cat nap in the shade of a sycamore fig.

Here’s a look at what you’ll learn about lion pride dynamics:

Male Lions

Is there any such thing as a real lion king? If you ask the dominant male in a powerful pride, the answer is certainly yes. The big kitties “rule” their family units and have key responsibilities that keep everyone safe, happy and healthy.

A male cub often stays with his mother until he’s between two and four years old. At this point, he’ll either leave the pride he was born into or be forcibly evicted, sometimes by an invading male. This kind of tough love actually sets the young bachelor on a path to his future, nudging him out into a world that will make him strong enough to take over a new pride someday. He might even meet up with some of his brothers or cousins to form a coalition.

During his wandering years, a nomadic male may try to mate with females from other prides. He might not succeed, but he’s getting valuable experience — and after about two years of growing and practicing, he might finally try to make his move. That may involve forcibly evicting current leaders or just replacing older males.

When he’s finally on the throne, our maned hero works with his coalition to rule with an iron paw. Larger coalitions tend to stay in power for longer, sometimes even taking over a neighboring pride. Together, these males work to:

• Defeat challengers: Leaders know other males or coalitions may try to capture the pride. They patrol their territory — sometimes more than 1,500 square miles! — and chase off any suspicious characters. That can be a big job, as one study found that females can come into contact with intruder males every five days.

• Protect the pride: Part of a male lion’s job is to protect the lionesses and cubs. While the “kings of the jungle” don’t always stay close or directly defend their families, they’re out preventing trouble from intruders and rival prides, marking their land with urine and glandular secretions. Fun fact: Dominant males also roar to mark their territory — a sound you could hear up to 5 miles away!

• Reproduce: Male lions begin mating at about four or five years old and partner with multiple lionesses in the pride. Members of the same coalition rarely compete over females; that’s probably wise, as males have a shorter reproductive window — so they don’t have time to bicker.

A male lion is in his prime when he’s between five and seven years old. As he ages, he might have more trouble defending his territory, even with help from his coalition. Eventually, he’ll face the same fate he brought to the males before him: replacement.

Males often only stay in power for about two or three years. They may never find another pride, which means our maned hero must enjoy his time in the spotlight while it lasts.

Meet Madumo and Big Toe

“Big Cats 24/7” introduces you to Madumo and Big Toe — leaders of the Xudum lion pride, one of the largest in Okavango Delta. These 10-year-old brothers are strong, powerful and clever, protecting their family and helping take down larger prey like African buffalo.

Both Madumo and Big Toe have stayed with their pride for about six years, which is rare for male lions. However, their rule isn’t guaranteed — and as you’ll see in the show, they have to work hard to defend what’s theirs. That’s partially because they’re past the typical prime age for dominant male lions, making them more vulnerable to intruders and invaders.

Female Lions

A dominant male “lion king” is nothing without his lion queen. These capable ladies play crucial roles in a pride, keeping everyone in line both on and off the hunt.

When a female cub is between two and four years old, she has a choice to make: either stay with the family or head off alone. If the pride has too many adult females already, she’ll likely be driven out anyway — but if not, she might stay with her mothers and sisters for the rest of her life.

A lioness starts breeding at about four years old and mates with multiple males. Many of these pairings aren’t successful — but when they are, the gestation period is about three and a half months, resulting in two or three cubs on average. Lionesses can give birth to up to five cubs in one litter. However, this is extremely rare with only about 2% of litters having five cubs. These large litters can pose an issue for the babies as mothers only have four nipples to nurse their young. 

The new mother won’t mate again until her babies are at least 18 months old. She’ll generally separate them from the pride during this time to ensure nobody is squished under giant lion paws.

About eight weeks later, the lioness will bring her cubs back to the group, where they’ll find groups of new “cousins” about the same age. That’s because female lions tend to breed at the same times — a cycle that makes it easier to share nursery duties in groups called creches. Female lions play favorites, nursing their own cubs more frequently, but they feed and protect all the babies in the pride.

When our lion queen isn’t babysitting, she’s busy being one of the group’s primary hunters. While they would rather scavenge, perhaps because most of their hunts fail thanks to fast, clever prey, these big cats are masters of cooperation. They move in unique formations where each individual lion usually has the same position — but interestingly, there’s no significant social hierarchy among lionesses, so it’s all about teamwork for these ladies.

Our female lion needs enough food to ensure she can feed the pride’s cubs — and while the males sometimes pitch in, they’re not good at sharing the kill. Fortunately, lionesses are lighter and faster, meaning they’re able to take down different kinds of prey.

Meet Nosi, Magogo and Mmakgosi

The Xudum pride in “Big Cats 24/7” wouldn’t be where it is today without lionesses Nosi, Magogo and Mmakgosi. With more than 20 mouths to feed, these kitties have their work cut out for them.

• Nosi: At six years old, Nosi is one of the younger leading ladies — but she has a big role to play in feeding and protecting the pride’s cubs, including three of her own.

• Mmakgosi: 10-year-old Mmakgosi has two cubs of her own and brings plenty of experience to the pride, helping raise the family and lead exciting hunts.

• Magogo: As one of the most experienced lionesses in the Xudum pride, 10-year-old Magogo is a great example for female cubs, keeping the group focused and safe even in the trickiest situations.

Lion Cubs

It’s tough to be a lion cub. In fact, 50% don’t survive their first year, and 80% don’t live past two years. The biggest threats are generally starvation or threats like infanticide by invading males.

But for a cub who beats the odds and lives to tell the tale, the future is bright. They’ll start eating meat at only two months, but they’ll nurse for up to eight months. They depend on their mother and the pride’s other lionesses until they’re around two and a half years old — and in exchange, they have to put up with the indignity of being carried around by the scruff of their neck.

Of course, it’s not all about being babied by mom. Our little lion cub will play with their siblings and cousins of different ages, practicing the hunting behaviors that will come into play at about 18 months. Along the way, they’ll learn to hide while their mothers are out looking for food, often surviving multiple nights alone.

Female and male cubs eventually go their separate ways depending on the pride’s structure. No matter where they end up, they have their original pride to thank for the food, training and care that made them capable of surviving a harsh environment.

Meet Mathata

“Mathata” means “trouble” — and that’s why it’s the perfect name for one of Magogo’s male cubs. This little kitty is older than some of the other cubs in the pride and is just starting to explore his strength, cleverness and curiosity. He might be a little too rough sometimes, but he’s a fast learner — and as you’ll see in the show, he’s already playing an important role in the Xudum pride.

Lions vs. Other Big Cats: Furry Families

While lions are a huge part of the “Big Cats 24/7” story, they’re not the only kitties in this vast African landscape. However, their neighbors — cheetahs and leopards — play by much different rules:

Cheetahs

If lions are extroverts, cheetahs are certainly introverts. While young males may form coalitions similar to lions, these big cats are generally solitary, preferring to live and hunt alone. Females do protect cubs in a nest for about eight weeks and raise them for 18 months — but after that, everyone splits up again.

You’ll see this play out in “Big Cats 24/7,” where you’ll meet cheetahs like Pobe and Sepoko. They have a lot of work to do if they want to avoid other cheetahs and the growing Xudum lion pride.

Leopards

Leopards are halfway between extroverts and introverts. Although they don’t live in prides or packs and are often solitary, they sometimes share territory — especially related females. Males are a bit less keen on sharing, even with their mothers, but may live closer to humans than the shy cheetahs. A leopard cub stays in a nest for eight weeks and is weaned at four months, but they will stay with their mom until they’re about two years old.

You’ll meet the leopards of “Big Cats 24/7,” too — including young Xudum, who’s trying to have her first successful litter of cubs. Of course, that’s not going to be easy with rival females, aggressive males and the Xudum pride knocking at the door.

Meet The Lions of Big Cats 24/7

If you want to learn the ins and outs of a lion pride, there’s no better way than to join one. The filmmakers behind “Big Cats 24/7” put you right inside the action day and night, giving you a unique perspective on how these kitties live when they think nobody’s watching. You’ll see lionesses hunt, male lions battle for dominance, cubs grow up and more — all without leaving home.

Ready to meet the Okavango Delta lions, cheetahs and leopards? Watch “Big Cats 24/7” on PBS!