1. Birth:
- Lionesses gave birth to cubs after a gestation period of approximately 110-120 days.
- A litter usually consisted of 1-4 cubs, with the first litter typically being smaller.
- Cubs were born blind and helpless and relied on their mothers for food and protection.
2. Nursing:
- Lionesses nursed their cubs for several months, typically up to 6-8 months.
- During this period, the cubs stayed close to their mothers and gradually developed their motor skills and senses.
3. Weaning and Transition to Solid Food:
- As cubs grew older, they began to transition to solid food.
- They would start to accompany their mothers on hunts and observe hunting behaviors.
- Cubs would gradually learn how to hunt and catch prey.
4. Socialization and Learning:
- Cave lion cubs spent considerable time interacting with their siblings and other cubs in the pride.
- Through play, they developed social skills, hunting techniques, and important survival instincts.
5. Pride Structure:
- Cave lions lived in social groups called prides, which usually consisted of related females and their cubs, along with one or more males (typically brothers or a coalition of unrelated males).
- Cubs grew up within the pride and established strong social bonds with their relatives and pride mates.
6. Independence:
- Male cubs generally left the pride when they reached maturity, typically at around 2-3 years of age.
- They would set out on their own or form coalitions with other males, seeking their territories and forming their prides.
- Female cubs could remain in their natal pride and contribute to the cooperative hunting and rearing of cubs.
7. Reproduction and Mating:
- Sexual maturity was reached around 3-4 years of age for males and 2-3 years for females.
- Male cave lions competed for mating rights with other males through roaring, marking territory, and sometimes engaging in aggressive fights.
- Mating occurred throughout the year, and dominant males would mate with multiple females within the pride.
8. Lifespan:
- The average lifespan of cave lions is not precisely known, but they likely lived for 8-10 years on average in the wild.
- Some individuals might have reached longer lifespans under favorable conditions, while others faced various threats and hazards that reduced their life expectancy.
Extinction:
The cave lion became extinct around 10,000-15,000 years ago, possibly due to factors such as climate change, competition with other predators, and hunting by humans. Their exact life cycle may not be known in complete detail due to the limited fossil evidence available.