# The Lion King is a rather nasty creature. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 18, 2000, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lion-king-is-a-rather-nasty-creature/7549 "2000-02-18T19:55:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Narile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@Narile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Narile)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2000, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lion-king-is-a-rather-nasty-creature/7549/1 "2000-02-18T19:55:00Z")
This one is a question about a slightly gruesome aspect of the male lion. Namely, that the male lion will kill all of a prides cubs when he takes over the pride in order to ensure that the only cubs are his. The question I have is, what about lionesses who are currently pregnant with the previous pride males offspring? Does the lioness abort naturally (Some animals can do this.)? Does the lion kill the newborn cubs knowing that they can’t be his, even though they came after he assumed the throne? (I mean is the lion intelligent enough to know that they aren’t his.) Or does he ignore the cubs thinking they are his? Where do I get such wierd ideas? by reading here. 🙂 * * * \>\>Being Chaotic Evil means never having to say your sorry…unless the other guy is bigger than you.\<\< —The dragon observes ---
**Author:** ![frolix8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f04885/32.png) [@frolix8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/frolix8)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2000, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lion-king-is-a-rather-nasty-creature/7549/2 "2000-02-18T20:35:00Z")
They will also kill cheetah cubs, just to supress the competion. Not many animals kill their competitors, or even their enemies. Lions will also steal kills from other predators. Noble? I don’t think so. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2000, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lion-king-is-a-rather-nasty-creature/7549/3 "2000-02-18T21:23:00Z")
So that’s why Simba was an only child! I always wondered. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Gilligan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Gilligan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gilligan)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2000, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lion-king-is-a-rather-nasty-creature/7549/4 "2000-02-18T21:43:00Z")
You mean Kimba? ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2000, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lion-king-is-a-rather-nasty-creature/7549/5 "2000-02-18T21:49:00Z")
Whatever! 🙂 Actually, Simba is the stage name Kimba adopted when he signed his contract with Disney. Just like Jerome Cockroach was not allowed to sing and act under his own name – they had him impersonating another order of insects altogether. Most 'toons are not overly enthusiastic about the terms of Disney contracts, except of course the Mouse and McDuck families, who became independently wealthy through Walt’s early largesse. ---
**Author:** ![Thing\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ce73a5/32.png) [@Thing\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_1)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2000, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lion-king-is-a-rather-nasty-creature/7549/6 "2000-02-18T22:26:00Z")
I work with mice. When a male is placed with a female who has a litter of pups he will kill all the pups. If he is placed with a pregnant female he will not kill the pups when they are born. Even if he is with her only a couple of days before they are born, he behaves as if they are his. Are lions the same? I do not know, but I am guessing yes since the male would not know the newborns are not his. John ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2000, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lion-king-is-a-rather-nasty-creature/7549/7 "2000-02-19T05:49:00Z")
I’ve heard that wild horses also behave like this. Supposedly, a new herd leader will not only kill any young foals, he will also kick any pregnant mares until they abort. ---
**Author:** ![Narile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@Narile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Narile)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2000, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lion-king-is-a-rather-nasty-creature/7549/8 "2000-02-19T17:34:00Z")
Thing 1, Yeah, but is a lion more intelligent than a mouse when it comes to this sort of thing. Little Nemo has stated that the more intelligent horses seem to have a solution for that. Thanks, Little Nemo, BTW, I hadn’t considered that fourth possibilty, that the male would cause the abort. * * * \>\>Being Chaotic Evil means never having to say your sorry…unless the other guy is bigger than you.\<\< —The dragon observes