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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 28, 2026

Measuring Active and Passive Tameness Separately in Mice

Measuring Active and Passive Tameness Separately in Mice

Published on: August 10, 2018

Sexual selection, temperature, and the lion's mane.

Peyton M West¹, Craig Packer

¹Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, 1987 Upper Buford Circle, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA. west0302@umn.edu

Science (New York, N.Y.)

|August 24, 2002

Summary

African lion (Panthera leo) manes indicate male health and respond to temperature. Darker, longer manes benefit reproduction but cause heat stress, suggesting adaptation to climate change.

Area of Science:

Zoology
Ecology
Animal Behavior

Background:

The African lion (Panthera leo) mane is a sexually selected trait influenced by environmental factors.
Mane characteristics, such as darkness and length, are linked to male condition, testosterone levels, and ambient temperature.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the consequences of mane variation in a long-term study of African lions in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania.
To determine how mane traits influence female choice, male-male competition, and physiological responses to temperature.

Main Methods:

Long-term observational study of African lions in Serengeti National Park.
Analysis of the relationship between mane characteristics (darkness, length) and various factors including male condition, testosterone, ambient temperature, reproductive success, and physiological stress.

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Main Results:

Mane darkness correlates with nutrition and testosterone, influencing female choice and male-male competition.
Mane length signals fighting success and affects male-male assessment.
Dark-maned males have extended reproductive lifespans and higher offspring survival but experience heat stress, abnormal sperm, and reduced food intake during hot periods.
Lions exhibit phenotypic plasticity, with males displaying lighter and/or shorter manes in hotter seasons, years, and habitats.

Conclusions:

Lion mane variation is a complex trait influenced by both intrinsic (condition, testosterone) and extrinsic (temperature) factors.
While dark manes offer reproductive advantages, they impose physiological costs, particularly in warmer conditions.
The observed phenotypic plasticity suggests that the African lion's mane may adapt to projected increases in global temperatures.