Via iStockphoto / @noelle.hub TikTok
A TikToker who visited a zoo was amused when a lion was rejected by a lioness not once, but twice. Here is what she captured.
Romantic rejection can be a bitter pill to swallow. And after a trip to the zoo, one woman discovered that this applies to other species, too.
Zoo videos of rhinos and otters have gone viral in the past, but in this clip, it was the lions that caught the TikToker’s eye.
The viral clip, which has garnered 349,200 views, shows footage from inside a lion enclosure behind a fence. As tense music plays in the background, the video depicts a male lion carrying a picture of a zebra stripe to a lioness. However, after he jumps up beside her, she very quickly jumps off the platform and walks away.
As this situation played out, on-screen text said, “Male lion brought this for the female and also tried to mate but got rejected twice.”
After the rejection, the video cut and showed just the lioness outside. However, the male lion could be heard from the inside of the enclosure as he growled mournfully.
The lioness then appeared to growl back, with on-screen text explaining, “Her telling him to get over it.”
Still growling, the lion then emerged and skulked to the corner, not interacting with the lioness at all.
The TikTok was posted by Nolle (@noelle.hub) who BroBible reached out to via email.
‘I Think It’s Cute’
While some commenters were fascinated, others saw the funny side.
“He showed up with a picture of food expecting s–” one wrote.
“I wonder if they really have a language is it even words or just a sound to them,” a second posited.
A third said, “Ik it’s common to go ‘Men will always be men,’ but isn’t it a little funny how all males exhibit similar traits throughout various species? i think it’s cute lol.”
And a fourth remarked, “Maybe he should treat her better instead of buying her love.”
How Does The Lion Mating Process Work?
According to A-Z Animals, lionesses can sometimes take the lead. Before conception, they enter a short reproduction window that is known as estrus. This window only lasts four to seven days and comes around every 16 days, the website says. During estrus, lionesses’ estrogen levels rise, which leads to a specific pattern of behavior. As well as producing a strong scent, they also vocalize more in order to communicate this desire to mate to other lions.
Reportedly, lions mate 20 to 40 times a day. Mating is said to occur every 20 to 30 minutes. It should be noted that, for lions, mating can last for a few seconds. Uniquely, lionesses’ ovulation is actually triggered by mating. This means that, if they want to reproduce, they have to mate a lot. Suddenly, the 20-40 times a day figure makes sense.
The website also notes that female lions are more likely to initiate mating than male lions. This means that the lion’s behavior in the video can be considered unusual.