Prides consist of 2 to 18 females and their offspring and 1 to 7 males. Females and their young form the basis of the pride. Females in a pride are usually related. Mothers, daughters, aunts, and cousins often live in the same pride for their entire life. Females are not dominant to males, but are in charge of finding water sources, moving the pride, and deciding where to sleep.
Females also do most of the hunting.
Males are usually driven out of their mothers' prides at about 2.5 to 3 years of age. They usually form a coalition with other males from their birth pride and seek out a pride to take over. Therefore, the males in a pride are often brothers or half-brothers. Males within the same pride will not usually fight each other over breeding rights to a female. It is to their advantage not to fight these other animals that are often their relatives.