The evolution of sex-biased dispersal in lions

Drawing on long-term Serengeti records, this study analyzed why male lions disperse from their natal pride while females usually remain, producing the strongly female-philopatric, male-dispersing pattern typical of the species. The authors evaluated inbreeding avoidance, competition for mates, and resource competition as drivers, showing that young males are evicted or leave around the time of pride takeovers and form coalitions to acquire prides elsewhere. Female retention maintains kin-based prides that cooperate in hunting and cub rearing. The paper provided a clear empirical and theoretical account of how dispersal patterns structure relatedness within and between groups, with direct consequences for paternity, reproductive skew, and the genetic structure of lion populations.