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When a foal is born the mother keeps all other zebras (even the members of her family) away from it for 2 or 3 days, until it learns to recognize her by sight, voice and smell. outdoorresorts While all foals have a close association with their mothers, the male foals are outdoorresorts also close to their fathers. They leave their group on their own accord between the ages of 1 outdoorresorts and 4 years to join an all-male bachelor group until they are strong enough to head a family. Zebras are important prey for lions and hyenas, and to a lesser extent for hunting dogs, leopards and cheetahs. When a family group is attacked, the members form a semicircle, face the predator and watch it, ready to bite or strike should the attack outdoorresorts continue. outdoorresorts If one of the family is injured the rest will often encircle it to protect it from further attack. Lions are the laziest of the big cats. They usually spend 16 to 20 hours a day outdoorresorts sleeping and resting, devoting the remaining hours to hunting, courting or protecting their territory. They keep in contact with one another by roaring loud enough to be heard up to five miles away. The pride usually remains intact until the males are challenged and successfully driven away or killed by other males, who then take over. Not all lions live in prides. At maturity, young males leave the units of their birth and outdoorresorts spend several years as nomads before they become strong enough to take over a outdoorresorts pride of their own. Some never stop wandering and continue to follow migrating herds; but the nomadic life is much more difficult, with little time for resting or reproducing. Within the pride, the territorial males are the fathers of all the cubs. When a lioness is in heat, a male will join her, staying with her constantly. ©2003 www.lodging-adventure-outdoors.com All rights reserved. |
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