Research overview: female philopatry and male dispersal in lions

Lion prides are built on female philopatry, with daughters typically remaining in their natal range while subadult males are forced out to become nomads. This overview examines how this sex-biased dispersal structures the genetic and social fabric of lion populations, keeping related females together as the stable core of a pride and sending young males off to form coalitions and seek prides elsewhere. It reviews how dispersal distance, the timing of eviction, and the fate of nomadic males influence gene flow, inbreeding avoidance, and the founding of new prides. The synthesis connects individual life histories to population structure, explaining why neighboring prides often contain related females and why male coalitions move between prides. It provides the demographic backdrop for understanding takeovers, territory inheritance, and the spread of genes across a landscape.