Research overview: sexual differences in prey selection in lions

A survey of how male and female lions differ in the prey they hunt and the habitats in which they hunt, driven by pronounced sexual size dimorphism. Larger, more powerful males are better able to tackle big, dangerous prey such as buffalo, often hunting in dense cover, while females hunt more cooperatively in open habitats for a broader range of prey, challenging the old view that males merely scavenge from prides. This overview synthesizes evidence on sex-specific kill composition, habitat use and hunting tactics, and how these differences affect prey populations and intra-pride dynamics. It connects sexual dimorphism to foraging niche divergence within a species. The topic refines understanding of lion predation by showing that the sexes occupy partly distinct predatory roles.