Male lions take a beating. That is their role in life. The females do most of the real work - killing the prey and raising the young, but males are designed to protect the pride. Although they regularly join in the hunt, they often have a dispute with the females that have made the kill. The mating game also produces some scars. But his most important role is to chase away and combat other males, in effect protecting his own gene pool. Recent research has shown that fending off and killing hyenas is also important. Many lions, as they become too old to be part of a pride, end their days in the jaws of a pack of hyenas. - Robert Bateman