the lion has an unfortunate reputation for being phenomenally lazy and I would
for being phenomenally lazy and I would
for being phenomenally lazy and I would just like to set the record straight
just like to set the record straight
just like to set the record straight they’re not really lazy they’re very
they’re not really lazy they’re very
they’re not really lazy they’re very patient
they have this sort of lifestyle that
they have this sort of lifestyle that you really as a scientist also have to
you really as a scientist also have to
you really as a scientist also have to be extremely patient in order to get a
be extremely patient in order to get a
be extremely patient in order to get a sense of what’s really going wrong
there have been several things that I’ve
there have been several things that I’ve learned about liens that I never ever
learned about liens that I never ever
learned about liens that I never ever would have guessed first and foremost we
would have guessed first and foremost we
would have guessed first and foremost we wanted to know wireline social all the
wanted to know wireline social all the
wanted to know wireline social all the other cats are solitary militantly
other cats are solitary militantly
other cats are solitary militantly solitary get lions do so many different
solitary get lions do so many different
solitary get lions do so many different things at a group level so over the
things at a group level so over the
things at a group level so over the years students and myself have worked
years students and myself have worked
years students and myself have worked together to try to figure out if they
together to try to figure out if they
together to try to figure out if they were social because of advantages of
were social because of advantages of
were social because of advantages of hunting in groups and the answer there
hunting in groups and the answer there
hunting in groups and the answer there is no is it because they can raise their
is no is it because they can raise their
is no is it because they can raise their cubs more successfully and the answer to
cubs more successfully and the answer to
cubs more successfully and the answer to that is yes but it’s a complicated
that is yes but it’s a complicated
that is yes but it’s a complicated answer the real reason why lions live in
answer the real reason why lions live in
answer the real reason why lions live in groups is the fact that they have access
groups is the fact that they have access
groups is the fact that they have access to very valuable territory that’s often
to very valuable territory that’s often
to very valuable territory that’s often centered around key hotspots in the
centered around key hotspots in the
centered around key hotspots in the environment usually the confluences of
environment usually the confluences of
environment usually the confluences of tributaries where the prey become more
tributaries where the prey become more
tributaries where the prey become more abundant so the Lions have food water
abundant so the Lions have food water
abundant so the Lions have food water and shelter and a pride to be able to
and shelter and a pride to be able to
and shelter and a pride to be able to reproduce successfully needs to have
reproduce successfully needs to have
reproduce successfully needs to have several of those hotspots so it can have
several of those hotspots so it can have
several of those hotspots so it can have enough food over the two years it takes
enough food over the two years it takes
enough food over the two years it takes to raise a new cohort of young
in the back m’kay 54 she was one of the
in the back m’kay 54 she was one of the founders of this pride work monitoring
founders of this pride work monitoring
founders of this pride work monitoring over 300 lines and 24 different social
over 300 lines and 24 different social
over 300 lines and 24 different social groups we’re interested in getting as
groups we’re interested in getting as
groups we’re interested in getting as much data as we can every day so that we
much data as we can every day so that we
much data as we can every day so that we can have a really comprehensive picture
can have a really comprehensive picture
can have a really comprehensive picture what’s happening now in real time when
what’s happening now in real time when
what’s happening now in real time when you operate on that scale you get a much
you operate on that scale you get a much
you operate on that scale you get a much better and more precise picture of
better and more precise picture of
better and more precise picture of what’s really important in the lions
what’s really important in the lions
what’s really important in the lions lives
right now we’re actually in one of the
right now we’re actually in one of the most exciting phases of this 46 years
most exciting phases of this 46 years
most exciting phases of this 46 years research project because just beginning
research project because just beginning
research project because just beginning a few years ago we started setting up
a few years ago we started setting up
a few years ago we started setting up these camera traps these 225 cameras
these camera traps these 225 cameras
these camera traps these 225 cameras generate 1 million photographs a year
and for the very first time we not only
and for the very first time we not only know where the liens are we’re getting
know where the liens are we’re getting
know where the liens are we’re getting day and night information about where
day and night information about where
day and night information about where the wildebeest
the wildebeest
the wildebeest where are the giraffe where are the
where are the giraffe where are the
where are the giraffe where are the aardvarks so the very first time now we
aardvarks so the very first time now we
aardvarks so the very first time now we know how the Lions are likely to respond
know how the Lions are likely to respond
know how the Lions are likely to respond to subtle changes in the distribution of
to subtle changes in the distribution of
to subtle changes in the distribution of their prey throughout their territories
their prey throughout their territories
their prey throughout their territories over about a 1000 kilometer area the
over about a 1000 kilometer area the
over about a 1000 kilometer area the Lions to survive we’re going to need
Lions to survive we’re going to need
Lions to survive we’re going to need huge stretches of undisturbed land
huge stretches of undisturbed land
huge stretches of undisturbed land there’s no other country in the world
there’s no other country in the world
there’s no other country in the world that has nearly as many lines as does
that has nearly as many lines as does
that has nearly as many lines as does Tanzania but the country is struggling
Tanzania but the country is struggling
Tanzania but the country is struggling to be able to conserve those wild areas
to be able to conserve those wild areas
to be able to conserve those wild areas the Serengeti if it can be protected can
the Serengeti if it can be protected can
the Serengeti if it can be protected can provide a home for lions forever
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