One of the best things that comes from being a guide, is that I get to see lots of different wild animal behaviour. I spend lots of time watching animals, and in most cases, they carry on with what they are doing. One of the more intriguing behaviours that is carried out quite often by lions, is known by the term Flehmen. It is something seen in many mammal species, and virtually all cats, but in this post I shall be staying with lions only.
Lioness and subadult. Canon 40D, Canon 300 f2.8 lens. Shutter speed 1/500sec at f/4.0, Iso 400
The Flehmen response takes place when one lion, of either sex, sniffs and smells the urine of another. Chemicals and hormones contained in the urine elicit the Flehmen response. Usually, after smelling the urine patch on the ground or vegetation, the cat that is doing the smelling will lift his or her head, and hold their lips back in a strong grimace for a period of several seconds. If you have never seen it happen before, it can appear to be a threat display, but in fact it has nothing to do with threat. Each cat has a vomeronasal organ (also sometimes called the organ of Jacobson) located above the palate. By sniffing deeply, and then pulling back their lips, they are in fact ‘testing’ the chemical content of the urine left behind by the earlier animal. Also, because lions are social for much of the time, it is easier to observe the Flehmen response taking place amongst members of the same pride. Although Flehmen is observed amongst males and females, it appears to be most important to males and it plays a part in allowing them to determine whether a female may be entering an oestrous cycle.
A male lion showing the Flehmen response. Canon 1Dmk4, Canon 300f2.8. Shutter speed 1/1250sec at f/5.6, Iso 400
Male lions will often wait for a lioness to urinate and walk off, before going to the exact place where the urine was left behind, and then testing it. Male lions can also test the females reproductive status by approaching their rear ends closely, and sniffing. Sometimes this close approach is not tolerated comfortably by the lioness and they may react aggressively toward the males.
Male lion Flehmen. Canon 1Dmk4, Canon 300f2.8. Shutter speed 1/1000sec at f/5.6, Iso 400
The Flehmen response allows photographers to capture images showing the cats with their teeth bared, which makes for striking imagery. There is also an element of predictability about the behaviour, so that there is often time to be prepared when it happens. Also, male lions may sometimes repeat the whole process, which can give us as photographers another chance at capturing it in a different way. When I noticed how high the male lion photographed above was positioning his head whilst carrying out the Flehmen response for the second time, I switched to photographing vertically, for a different take on things.
As with most forms of wild animal behaviour, photographing with zoom lenses like Canon’s EF 70-200 f2.8L IS II allows flexibility for changing compositions rapidly. However, for the images accompanying this post, I was shooting with my earlier version of my favourite wildlife lens, the Canon EF 300 f2.8L IS II.
Superb series of photos Grant! I am completely amazed to read that you have observed the Flehmen behaviour in lions ?! I only associated it with hor ses and zebra…. thanks for that interesting info; not only did I learn that most cat species show this behaviour but lIons? Very intriguing – thanks for the info!
Hi Anja, I am thinking that you probably spend more time with horses than I do…I have seen it in zebras too. Hope you get to photograph some of those Etosha lions doing it soon 🙂 and thanks for the comment
cheers
Grant
Grant, we have seen this response by male lions. Thanks so much for clarifying just what is happening. We love your photos and your informative blogs, postings, etc.
I have seen this in a number of animals (including one of my dogs who used to do it but also used did a sort of chattering thing with this teeth and tongue). The lions are definitely the most dramatic and your ways of capturing it certainly do add to it.
Hi Darlene, nice that you have seen the lions doing this too. The males especially, sometimes have an uncanny ability to locate places where a female may have passed by, and left her scent in a urine mark. Glad to hear that you are enjoying the blog posts too.. 🙂
cheers
Grant
Thanks Nancy for your comment. As you say, the lions really do come across in a dramatic way when they are showing a Flehmen response. I was lucky to get this big, good looking male carrying on this way right in the open one morning last year.
cheers
Grant
Very informative and supported nicely with your excellent images!
In the last image the lion is clearly laughing……LOL (where are the emoticons). Great explanation and images as usual.
Thanks for your response Nqina Dlamini….perhaps the laughing lion was happy because the female that elicited this response from him was not too far away 🙂
cheers
Grant
On the hunt for a detailled explanation about why lions flehm, I come across your blog – once again.
You are a wealth of information and of course accompanying photos are always a delight. Thanks for sharing your gifts with the world, Grant.
Thanks…. I am a farmer and know that bulls, sheep and goat rams all have this behaviour. I never knew the behaviour has a name! We have actually seen our cats do it too. So thank you for the information.
Thanks…. I am a farmer and know that bulls, sheep and goat rams all have this behaviour. I never knew the behaviour has a name! We have actually seen our cats do it too. So thank you for the information.
I was trying to find the name for this behavior after a friend posted a video of a captive lioness doing this. I knew it had something to do with their sense of smell. Now I’m concerned that their was a male lion nearby as she took her video! Not that the lioness in the twig cage looked all that safe to begin with! My friend and her husband spend 6 months a year helping people learn sustainable gardening and water filtration in Kenya.