Xander: Why are some lions white? Are they albino?
Peter Gros: No, but there have been albino lions and even dark black males. There are several color phases. Some lions are born lighter, and get darker as they get older. The lions I've seen in the desert areas near Etosha [a national park in Namibia] tend to be lighter because of the light savanna grasses and light ground cover.

Lisa: Is there ever more than one adult male lion to a pride? If so, how many adult males can coexist in a single pride, and does one assume the alpha role?
Peter Gros: There can be more than one adult male, especially if the pride is ranging miles apart. However, there will always only be one alpha or dominant male who clearly establishes that through snarling and boxing. Sometimes establishing the role of alpha male will result in the death or severe injury of a less dominant male. Some younger males will often move on and leave the pride for their own survival. Females may live in prides of one to 18, but members of larger prides seem to spend more time alone.

Carrie: Do any other predators, such as hyenas or wild dogs, tolerate the water in the Okavango like the lions do?
Peter Gros: Yes they do. Vultures seem to do very well, and pack animals like hyenas and wild dogs do extremely well because of their adaptability. They have learned to follow large carnivores, even in the watery environment of the Okavango, looking for a chance to distract the lions and steal their newly killed prey. What the wild dogs and hyenas don't eat, the vultures will certainly clean up.

Laura: What are some other atypical environments where lions exist?
Peter Gros: Lions exist in the extreme heat of the Kalahari Desert, in the Etosha pan with very little cover and very little water, but fortunately there are seasons when hooved animals are available for prey. Even the newborn cubs must survive the incredible daytime heat of the desert, as well as the sometimes below-freezing temperatures at night. After a kill, during the heat, lions have been known to find a shady spot and sleep for 10 hours. Another good way to deal with extreme heat!

Jennifer: Are there any immediate threats to the Okavango lions? What are they?
Peter Gros: The single largest threat, I would think, would be if the floods came earlier and lasted longer and the lions had to deal with their life in the water for a longer period of time. Other threats might be poaching, loss of habitat or poisoning. Fortunately, ecotourism is helping the lions in the Okavango. It's a tough pill to swallow, but for much of Africa's wildlife, if it doesn't pay, it doesn't stay. The dollars derived from tourists coming to photograph lions, giraffes and other magnificent wildlife have created a lot of interest in Africa for saving their wildlife. As ecotourism becomes more popular, and we learn more about wildlife, then want to experience wildlife through ecotourism in its natural habitat, we are inadvertently helping to save them. The more we learn about the magnificent beings that share our planet, and the more we share this information with young people, the greater chance wildlife has of being here for generations to come.