This was a lone cub among a few lionesses and no doubt the sweetheart of the pride.
Prides are usually made up of related females (lionesses), their cubs, and a small number of adult males.
There weren’t any male lions in sight, however, it is highly possible that they were nearby.
Cub entertains lionesses
The playful cub entertained the serene lionesses who lay down in the road, holding regal postures.
It also entertained the motorists. The young lion was a star in the making!
Mother and cub share a close bond
It stayed fairly close to its mother, and she seemed very protective over it.
Lionesses are exceptionally protective of their young and will risk their lives defending cubs from threats.
Cubs also share a special bond with their mother. Even in a large pride, they can recognise their own mother’s unique scent and vocalisations. They will learn essential skills by watching their mothers.
They are also extremely playful, and their play behaviour is not only adorable but also essential for their development.
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They will also learn skills by play-fighting. These games mimic stalking, pouncing, and grappling techniques they’ll use as adults.
Cub adds playful sparkle to pride’s activities
The adult lionesses remained relatively sedate. This was clearly their downtime, although the cub seemed not to have received the memo. One of the lionesses caught forty winks, and another opened her mouth in a wide yawn, revealing a set of frighteningly-large teeth.
However, the little lion wasn’t even a tiny bit tired. The small animal jumped on the lionesses’ backs and played with their tails. As far as it was concerned, there was a whole world to be explored and there was no time to laze around and sleep.
Still, it kept its focus on its mother, and she returned this focus. Together, they held the attention of motorists.
Lionesses display mutual affection for cub
This was a fairly confident club and it was clearly doted on by the adult lionesses.
In most lion prides, all of the lionesses help care for the cubs, not just the mothers. This behaviour is called alloparenting. It’s one of the reasons lions are among the most social of all big cats.
Lionesses that have cubs around the same time will also nurse each other’s cubs, not just their own. Cubs often suckle from whichever female is nearby and lactating.
This shared responsibility strengthens the pride’s unity and greatly increases the cub’s chances of survival.
Much as with all baby animals, the lion cub’s very presence charged the atmosphere, as it bounded and wriggled and playfully interacted with the other lions.
It also wasn’t shy to walk with its mother between the cars, and the cars remained at a standstill.
How such a little lion could cause such a commotion is hard to understand, unless of course you had been there to witness the cub’s sparkling personality.
Watching the clipping, it is hard not to agree that a pride of lionesses with a cub is one of the most iconic and powerful sights in the wild.