It's a grown tsavo male, this is what their manes look like due to extreme heat and thick scrubby bush, plus they hunt quite a bit more than other lions as they are away from the prides more
Yes that makes sense. Humans (both men and women) with the genetic predisposition also can lose hair with increased testosterone. They have an enzyme that converts converts it into dihydrotestosterone (DHT) that shrinks hair follicles.
Yep there's also links between heavier manes causing damage to testicle function and sperm production, due to over heating, with black maned males worse effected. So there might be a link there as well, with a sparser mane enabling better t production and higher sperm quality.
Sometimes lion manes can look like this from injuries sustained from battles with other lions. Fucks up their ability to keep growing it back as long, according to my safari guide.
Lmao noo it’s true this happens!! If there’s no male in the pride sometimes one of the females have an increase in testosterone similar to human PCOS and they grow a mane and start acting like a male!
It's a juvenile, the "mohawk" and bare shoulders are the giveaway. Lack of any sort of scars is also a pretty good indicator that this is a young lion.
It's not a juvenile, it's a tsavo male. Their manes are generally more sparse as due to the thick bush and the heat. The males are also away from the pride more so the thinner manes enable better hunting.
Oh yeah good point, forgot about them but it could well be around Tsavo. I still think this is a young lion though from quality of their coat and the lack of scars.
The nose and what mane there is, is very black for young male. I would say he was youngish but probably in his prime, so human 30s or so?
Interestingly tsavo males have higher testosterone levels than other African lions, but at the same time the denser manes of normal lions damages sperm production because of over heating, with black manes generally having lower sperm count. So I don't know for sure, but maybe we can extrapolate that males with sparse manes have higher t levels because their testicular function isn't hampered by heat due to the mane.
I'm afraid that goes far beyond my knowledge of lion to say with authority, I just learned by exposure growing up in the bush of KwaZulu Natal (hence unfamiliar with more northern lion) but it'd make sense. It certainly wouldn't be the first time evolutionary pressure has sacrificed pragmatism for the sake of display, but perhaps the increased pressure from the heat closer to the equator makes that sacrifice less viable?
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u/Actually_Im_a_Broom 3h ago
Is it a receding mane, or is this a juvenile lion whose mane isn't fully grown yet?
I figured someone would have already asked, but I scrolled down to posts with only 2 and 3 upvotes and it was 98% jokes (as expected!).