They try and avoid encounters with other lions, relying on roaring, scent marking and patrolling to demonstrate their right to a particular area. Lionesses form the core of the pride, rarely moving out of the area in which they were born. A pride may include several adult males, but one is always dominant over the rest. Fights between rival males take place when one or a group of males attempts to take over a pride by ousting the male already in possession and these fights are serious and can lead to injury or even death. Young males leave the pride when they reach maturity, at which time they search for another pride to take over, and find a mate.
Lions have a wide habitat tolerance ranging from desert conditions to fairly dense bush.
Because of their nomadic nature they are particularly vulnerable outside of conservation areas. Man is the only significant enemy of the lion, but this has been sufficient to drive them from most of their former range. Where there are unfenced reserves they will move beyond these safe havens after domestic stock. This often brings them into conflict with man and, more often than not, they end up being shot. When a female comes into oestrus, she and a dominant male leave the pride for a period of about two days to mate.