Research overview: reproductive success of aging male felids

Male reproductive success in cats depends on the ability to acquire and defend mating opportunities, which often declines with age as competitive ability wanes. This overview surveys how aging affects male reproduction in felids, including declining semen quality, loss of territory or pride tenure, and displacement by younger rivals. It reviews evidence from lions, where coalition males eventually lose prides, and from other species where territorial males are replaced. The review considers how these social and physiological changes shape lifetime reproductive output and the turnover of breeding males. Understanding reproductive aging in males complements work on females and informs both the interpretation of paternity data and the management of breeding males in captivity.