key point:
- While visiting the Madikwe Game Reserve in South Africa, several guides and tourists witnessed four lions fighting for territory.
- The fight was sparked by two male lions trying to expand their territory in search of more female mates.
- Lions live in groups, called prides, usually consisting of a male lion, several female lions and their cubs.
Watching animals go to the end of their lives is never easy, especially when they are in the prime of life. Sadly, that’s what we see in this video, with four male lions battling for territorial supremacy and the last one being killed. That seems like a waste, especially when some lion populations are vulnerable. However, this is nature’s way of ensuring “survival of the fittest”, and how the strongest and most powerful individuals reproduce and pass their genes on to the next generation. This is what ensures the survival of the species.

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Four Lions
This particular shot was captured in the stunning Madikwe Game Reserve in South Africa. Several jeepneys full of tourists witnessed the scene, and you can hear an explanation from one of the guides or read the description in the video notes.
Two lion brothers in the park’s Addo area appear to have decided to expand their territory so they can mate with more lionesses. So they went south, where they came across the territories of two lions, Kwandwe and Monomoholo. Two visiting lions advertised their presence by calling out, and sure enough, they were quickly noticed. Kwandwe and Monomoholo started calling back and the four pulled away. At this point, the visiting men seem to have lost confidence and may be better off thinking about their decision. But it was too late and a physical altercation began. Kwandwe and Monomoholo overcame an Addo male, so his brothers came back and tried to help him, but they were overpowered. We are told that it ended with the death of a visiting brother.

©Henrico Muller/Shutterstock.com
Lions mating and cubs
Lions live in parts of Africa and Asia and are the largest cat species on the continent. Male lions are very territorial and will happily kill a rival if they can. Males are stronger and taller than females, with noticeably longer, darker hair around their heads. This is thought to be related to their testosterone levels.
Lions live in social groups known as prides, but these groups consist primarily of females and their cubs. Most hunting is also done by females. At the same time, there is usually one male (or a small group of up to three males) who controls the territory where the pride lives. They do this by walking around it and marking trees and rocks with urine to warn rival males. The male has mating rights to all the females, but his position is constantly threatened by other males who may want to expand their territory. That’s exactly what we see in this video, with very tragic results.
Is this normal behavior?
Yes, if a male lion is threatened by another male trying to expand his territory, he will do whatever it takes to defend his pride and his territory. They will fight to the death. If the new male wins, he usually does infanticide, which means he kills any cubs in the new pride that are still dependent on their mother. He did this to ensure that his genes survived.
Next:
- Watch a pride of 18 lions attack rhinos, zebras and buffalo
- Watch a cornered crocodile fight five grown lions
- Watch the world’s boldest crab fight off a curious lion

I am broadly interested in how human activities influence the ability of wildlife to persist in the modified environments that we create.
Specifically, my research investigates how the configuration and composition of landscapes influence the movement and population dynamics of forest birds. Both natural and human-derived fragmenting of habitat can influence where birds settle, how they access the resources they need to survive and reproduce, and these factors in turn affect population demographics. Most recently, I have been studying the ability of individuals to move through and utilize forested areas which have been modified through timber harvest as they seek out resources for the breeding and postfledging phases. As well I am working in collaboration with Parks Canada scientists to examine in the influence of high density moose populations on forest bird communities in Gros Morne National Park. Many of my projects are conducted in collaboration or consultation with representatives of industry and government agencies, seeking to improve the management and sustainability of natural resource extraction.