Climate change robs African lions of their manes

Kenya’s king of the jungle. the lion is losing its mane, a phenomenon that has been linked to the effects of climate change by scientists at the Kenya Wildlife Service.

The new development adds to mounting global evidence that climate change and irresponsible use of chemicals which turn into pollutants are altering evolution with the most affected being males including humans.Last month scientists reviewed over 250 studies worldwide and concluded that that males species are being feminised by pollution in their environments.
This loss of manes by the male lion a key distinctive feature of the biggests of Africa’s cats, is the second case to be scientifically recorded in Kenya on the effects of climate change.

Last year, scientists from Tokyo’s Institute of Technology and the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology observed the cichlid fish in Lake Victoria evolve into a new species that is better adopted in sighting its prey and predators as well.

According to Dr Samuel Kasiki, the deputy director biodiversity research and monitoring at the Kenya Wildlife Service the phenomenon has been observed only in the more dominant African lion, Panthera leo, which spots a darker shade of mane compared to others.

Wildlife
According to Dr Kasiki it will probably take them the next five years before they can confidently say for sure since they have only begun studing this phenomenon recently. The lion’s mane is not just any other physical feature of Africa’s biggest cat. It contains useful scientific information that goes a long way to explain eating habits, dominance abilities and survival tendencies of this undoubtedly magnificent animal.

The length and shade of a lion’s mane are key indicators that serve to explain the lion’s success to sire and therfore ensure posterity and survival prospects of the species.

Darker manes indicate a higher level of the male hormone testosterone, a factor which is likely to have a number of relevant consequences.

Lions with dark manes have a greater dominance capability over others with manes of a lighter shade. This is due to the fact that the lions display greater success in feeding during kills.

According to Dr Kasiki lions with a darker mane enjoy longer reproductive life-span and a higher offspring survival. These lions also enjoy the lion’s share of female choice, out-competing the others.

Dark mane lions have undoubtedly registered a powerful showing when it comes to dominance. On the other hand though, this factor seems to have set up the lion for failure and in a sense therefore portraying it more as a victim of its own success.

For one thing, these strong qualities are by far counter-balanced by other more ominous charateristics threatening its ultimate survival and which are blamed on climate change.

Dr Kasiki observes that even though this lion is much stronger in other respects, and more aggressive, it suffers from what he refers to as higher surface temperatures.

“This lion is more prone to rising temperature levels, which consequently leads to abnormal sperm or low sperm count as well as displaying a much loer food intake during the hot months of the year,” explains Dr Kasiki.