Research overview: kinship and cooperation among lion males

Cooperation among male lions in coalitions is shaped by how closely the members are related, with kin selection favoring tolerance of shared reproduction among relatives. This overview surveys the relationship between kinship and cooperation in lion male coalitions, drawing on genetic measures of relatedness and behavioral observations of how males jointly defend prides and share mating. It reviews how larger coalitions tend to consist of relatives while smaller ones may include unrelated males that compete more over paternity. The review connects kinship to reproductive skew and the stability of coalitions. Understanding kinship and cooperation among lion males clarifies how relatedness underpins one of the most striking examples of male cooperation in mammals.