Even though it was rumored for a long time, scientists have finally released an official report about the existence of lionesses that have been ‘maned’, and they have documented their more typically male behavior.
Five lionesses at the Moremi Game Reserve in the Okavango delta in Botswana have been observed by professor Geoffrey D. Gilfillan of the University of Sussex, and he and his team reported their findings in the African Journal of Ecology.
Male lions tend to mark their territory, roar more frequently, and they tend to have long manes in order to attract females. However, the 5 female lions took on some of these characteristically male behaviors, and they even mounted other females.
According to the team, the “manly” behavior of these lionesses is likely the result of high testosterone levels.
Even though scientists have known for a few years that the female lions in this region may carry a genetic disposition to this phenomenon, this is the first time that male development in female lions has been formally documented.
Experts say that even though none of these five females have become pregnant, they’re each fully capable of living healthy, long lives, and the team doesn’t suspect the trend to become more common.
More research is needed to understand the exact hormonal and genetic factors that may cause these aberrations.
