Feeding captive African lions with whole carcasses in alternating cycles of feeding and fasting promotes behaviors more similar to those recorded in the wild, according to a study by Adelaide University and Monarto Safari Park, in Australia.
Published in the scientific journal Applied Animal Behaviour Science, the study evaluated the behavior of three adult African lions after introducing a routine in which they received whole carcasses of animals every nine days, complementing a feeding regime based on periods of abundance and fasting.
Over three months, the researchers used continuous video surveillance to monitor the animals 24 hours a day. The results showed that the lions spent significantly more time feeding, rested longer after meals, and exhibited activity patterns closer to those observed in wild populations.
“Wild lions do not eat at the same time every day. They naturally go through periods of abundance and fasting, depending on hunting success,” says Lesia Hryhorenko, the study’s lead author and a researcher at the School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Adelaide University.
“We wanted to understand how captive African lions respond when feeding routines come closer to these natural patterns,” she adds.
Feeding closer to the wild reality
In the experimental phase, the keepers provided the three lions with about 200 kilograms of carcasses, which remained available for a maximum of three days, followed by a rest and digestion phase.
The animals’ behavior was recorded by eight infrared cameras, allowing the collection of one of the most detailed datasets on captive African lions subjected to this type of feeding.
On days they received carcasses, the lions spent almost three times as long feeding as under usual conditions. The meals were also longer and more frequent, allowing the animals to tear, pull, and manipulate the food for extended periods.
“Providing whole carcasses alters much more than the nutritional content of the diet,” explains Lesia Hryhorenko.
“It allows the lions to express behaviors such as tearing, pulling, and manipulating the food for long periods, important components of their natural feeding ecology,” she adds.
After meals, the researchers observed a significant increase in rest periods. As the fasting progressed, the animals’ activity gradually rose again, reproducing a cycle similar to that observed in wild lions.
No increase in aggression
The team also analyzed the repetitive behavior of pacing, often associated with the anticipation of feeding in large carnivores kept in captivity.
Although this behavior increased slightly over the study, the researchers found that it did not intensify during fasting periods. The times of higher frequency coincided mainly with the arrival of the keepers and enclosure changes, suggesting they were more related to predictable routines than to hunger.
The study found no increase in aggression or social instability among the lions during carcass-feeding periods.
Co-author Alexandra Whittaker emphasized that the research demonstrates the importance of monitoring the animals throughout the entire feeding cycle.
“Many studies in zoos focus only on what happens immediately after food is provided,” she says.
“Our results show that feeding regimens can influence behavior over several days, making it essential to analyze behavioral patterns across the entire feeding cycle and not just during a single feeding moment,” she concludes.
The researchers argue that future studies should combine behavioral observations with physiological indicators to more comprehensively assess the impact of different feeding regimes on the animals’ welfare.
