Research overview: reproductive senescence in female lions

Long-term studies of wild lions allow researchers to examine how female reproductive performance changes with age and whether lionesses experience a post-reproductive period. This overview surveys evidence on age-related decline in conception, litter size, and cub survival in lionesses, and how these patterns compare with the abrupt menopause seen in humans. It reviews findings that lions generally remain fertile until near the end of life, with gradual rather than sudden decline. The review considers the demographic and evolutionary conditions under which post-reproductive lifespans evolve. Understanding reproductive senescence in lions contributes to broader debates about aging and menopause across mammals and to accurate modeling of lion population dynamics from detailed life-history records.