What Lions Eat

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Mendel Groner

Professor Sarah Sassone

ENG 101

October 13, 2015

Lions and What They Eat

The lion is truly mighty symbol. It signifies majesty, splendor, and kingship. The proverbial King of the Jungle, it rules over all other animals in the fables of men. The graceful lion overlooks the entire animal kingdom and judges it with superb and true honesty. With just its mane, the alpha male can intimidate multitudes of dangerous predators. The real lion, of course, is much different, but fascinating nonetheless. As majestic as the lion is crowning a glorious mane, it is mostly lazy and can be a bully. Lions spend most of their time sleeping and relaxing (outtoafrica.nl). It is usually the female lionesses that go out to hunt (infoplease.com). After the prey is neutralized, the entire pride comes to feast – and it is the alpha male who pushes forward to claim the most meat! It is possible that even the very lioness who hunted the meat will have to wait its turn to feed (macroevolution.net).

But what do lions eat? We know they eat meat, but what sort of meat, from what animals? And how much do they eat, how often? Do they also eat herbs, grasses, or plants, or are they obligate carnivores, meaning that they can only eat meat and nothing else?

Lions are opportunistic hunters, meaning that they will hunt and eat according to the current state of food supply. Is food is scarce, then a lion will eat a lot, so one meal can provide sustenance for a couple of days, even five or six. In fact, “lions can eat up to 90 pounds of meat in one meal if need be. To put it into perspective, we humans will eat maximum four pounds a day”(macroevolution.net). This opportunistic way of hunting and eating which the lions possess, can also lead them to veer to smaller sizes than their average meal. The average meal means the meal a lion will eat when food income is

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steady and prey is being caught almost every day of the week. The average meal is 15 pounds for a

male, and 11 for a female. Sometimes lions will eat also smaller animals weighing about under 100 pounds(animalstime.com).

So we now know how much they eat, but what do they eat? Lions eat the meat of medium-sized prey. These animals weigh between 110 pounds and 550lb. Most of these animals are deer-like and herbivores, which travel in herds across the Savannah or plains. These animals are also usually hunted by other predators. A list of some: Impala, Zebra, Deer, Nilgai, Eland, Wild Boar, Warthogs, Kudu, Gemsbok, Springbok, Hartebeest, Wildebeest, and Thomson’s Gazelle. The lions will hunt these animals, hopefully kill it first, and carry on to eat it. Most of the time the hunting is done in groups, but sometimes it is done by an individual. If the hunter is with the pride, then when the pride hears the noise of the prey dying or crying out, it signals that the meal is ready. The entire pride will converge and devour the meat, picking it clean, eating every last bit of salvageable meat. During this time, these big cats can get a bit aggressive; there is only one animal to feed on, and a pride of nigh on eighteen to feed. The alpha male will get first picks, and after him the female hunters and cubs. I mentioned they get a bit aggressive; it usually doesn’t escalate into anything serious (animalstime.com).

Listed above were some of the main animals which lions will eat, which are all medium-sized. There is another animal which plays a large part in the diet of a lion, but it is much bigger and heavier: the Cape Buffalo. This animal, also known as the African Buffalo, weighs a lot. Anywhere from 600lb

up to 19000lb (ultimateungulate.com). Lions will sometimes hunt small rhinos, young elepahants, or giraffes, but these less often, as they pose a threat to the lion as a formidable enemy. A giraffe can give a lion a good buck and severely injure it (animalstime.com)

I mentioned above that lions will hunt these animals. It is important to note that in some places more than others, more than half of a lions yearly diet is made up of scavenged food, meaning carrion

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of prey killed by other predators! Sometimes the lions will even chase off predators from prey they hunted. The former will then wait impatiently for the lions to leave so they can scavenge whatever is left. Sometimes, hyenas will do the same to lions too, chasing them away from the lions’ own recent kills (infoplease.com).

Regarding whether or not lions eat grass, the answer is twofold; they are obligate carnivores. They do not possess of digestive tract long enough to support the eating of plants and herbs. From time to time, however, lions will eat grass. The reason for this is so that the lions can clean out their systems. When a lion eats the grass, it will regurgitate it soon afterwards. Sometimes during the feeding process some undesirable things can enter into the system: pieces of bone or lumps of lion hair, or hair of the prey, which will make digestion difficult. At times like these, lions will eat grass to clear out their systems (Yahoo).

Will lions eat humans? A much discussed question. Simply, the answer is no. Lions will not hunt humans the way they would regular prey. If food is scarce, however, it is very possible that a lion will hunt and eat a human. If it feels threatened, it may attack a human as well. There have been some instances where there existed man-eaters, lions which intentionally hunted humans. A possible explanation is that they simply grew fond of human meat. Or that said man-eaters are sickly, and wounded, and hunting is difficult already ad it is, but humans may be easier prey. I repeat: mainly, the answer is that, no, lions will not eat humans, but it is definitely not unheard of, and lions are not safe to be around (unless you’re Kevin Richardson – lion whisperer) (animals.mom.me)

Let us now discuss the current habitat and population situation of the lions. From early historic times, lions were located all over Eurasia, India and Africa. We see lions mentioned in many ancient Roman and Greek texts, proving they populated the Mediterranean. Similar evidence is found about lions in India, Africa, the middle, East, etc. (interesting note: lions are mentioned in Homer’s Iliad quite

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often, signifying a strong cultural presence). By early 2^nd century AD, lions had been wiped off the

European and Middle Eastern maps, completely, having been hunted and annihilated by the societies and peoples there(infoplease.com) Lions are now only found in two places in the world: In the Gir Forest in India a mere approximate 250 lions exist! In 1955 only a few pairs were left, and were placed in the heavily guarded Gir Forest National Park,where they have been since. The second place, is the entire area of sub-Saharan Africa; only there are they numerous, and even so, their numbers are unnerving. The International Union for Conservation and Natural Resources (IUCN) has announced that thelion population has decreased 21% in the past 21 years. The website lionalert.org has estimated this to be a shocking 20,000. The IUCN has also declared the lion a vulnerable species, which is just one step short of being endangered. (lionalert.org)

There are many simple reasons for why the lion is in such a state. People have always had a negative disposition towards lions on two points: 1) They are dangerous and hurt human beings, and 2) They eat from the livestock of animal-owners. This is a nuisance and a loss of money. For this reason, until recent times, especially when lions populated the entire Afro-Eurasia, lions were killed on sight. This is how and why they were made extinct from most of the world. There are two more things: 3)The prize of killing a lion as a trophy, or for the skin, or fur of the mane. 4) As our population grows, and we inhabit more and more space, we take away from the animals habitat, which in turn causes a shortage of space and prey. Carnivores such as the lion require large spaces of habitat to lead their lives. (Latcher, 86)

All in all, this has been an enlightening essay. I learned a lot about the way lions act and interact, and how they go about their lives. Also, a frightening creature has become less intimidating and more understandable to me. Importantly I have learned more in-depth the current situation of a “vulnerable” species. When you just hear that an animal is endangered, it can be accepted superficially,

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but actually learning about lions, and then finding out about the current state of the species had a much stronger impact on me.

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Works Cited

“African Lions”. Outtoafrica.nl. September 19, 2007. Web. October 13, 2015.

“Cape Buffalo”. Ultimateungulate.com. January, 21, 2004. Web. Octeober.

“IUCN”. lionalert.org. Augut 28, 2015. Web. October 13, 2015.

“Hunting and Habitat”. infoplease.org. April 16, 2009. Web. October 13, 2015.

“Lions”. Macroevoution.net. June 14, 2012. Web. October 13, 2015.

“Lions Facts”. animalstime.com. March 28, 2010. Web. October 13, 2015.

Latcher, Thomas, E. “Encyclopedia of Deserts.”

Secret Restaurant Recipe

Before I begin, I want to remark that when I first started out with this assignment I was thinking “how am I going to do this?” The only time that I had ever opened a cookbook was begrudgingly when I was ordered to make a certain dish. I also didn’t realize how much content that cookbooks contain; I thought it was just a boring book of recipes.

What I found instead was a book full of tips , techniques and advice. And it was all saturated with character. It is comparable to a book which teaches w=how to play guitar or an instrument, or any other skill, but a bit different. With instructional books teaching a new skill, to properly reap benefits,f the reader is required to read all the material in order, and is considered a student. With cookbooks, it’s different. Anyone can cook. And you can just leaf through and pick something which catches your attention. And the voice which narrates every recipe and story is like having a friend who is really good at something show you some of his/her own tricks and tools.

And now, to it!

The book which I’m going to discuss today is titled “Secret Restaurant Recipes” written by Leah Schapira and Victoria Dwek. What’s really cool about this book is, as the title implies, the recipes are those that were served to you last night by a professional chef in a four and five-star restaurants. The book has recipes for everything from starters to desert. The layout is very simple. It is organized by dish, not restaurant. By each dish is a little word about that specific restaurant and chef, sometimes mixed with it a personal experience or connection of one of the authors with it. Also with each dish is a quote from the chef, many times an encouraging word for home cooks. Because that is mainly the demographic of this cookbook. Those who wish to serve five-star meals for their families or a dinner party, etc.

One of the things which I liked about this book is that I recognized mostly all of the restaurants myself personally. Some I myself ad gone to, some are household words, and some my friends had gone to and told me about. Interestingly, the fact that these places were mentioned in this cookbook, and regarded with reverence put in me a desire to return to some of those which I had already been to, now that I see them in a different light. Also, I feel now that I have an arsenal of good dishes to order when I go to restaurants, something which I find very hard usually.

In the book, the authors will frequently reveal the method which they used to serve the dish in the picture. That is something which I also find very interesting — how the photos of the food is taken. Because the way it looks in the picture is alway fantastic compared to the way it comes out in real life in many cookbooks. That is very usual. In this book the authors will describe the way they set up the food as well as other options.

Going through and analyzing this book inspired me to attempt cooking some of these classy dishes myself and serve to family and friends. It would be very valuable to attain a skill to cook some recipes, and actually make them well. It would also be nice to cook something on my own for those who I love, I would feel really good. It would be something special of my own accord.

So, yeah, all in all, I think this book is a great cookbook, the authors did a great job. You have great recipes from great chefs in great restaurants all over the world — the jewish world, that is. This is a kosher cookbook. There are also some neat techniques and tricks. Also they have certain things — like fries — which they sort of tell you in the beginning because it is such a focal part of every restaurant menu. So they teach you specific ways to do that really well. They tel you which potatoes are the best (Kennebec) but since that is too expensive, they suggest a more staple one (Idaho). They have a similar piece on thin pizza crust, including a tip to prevent it getting soggy. Because if you like thin crust, you know how that happens, and it sucks. Two methods which I remember is 1) Putting the cheese directly on the crust and then spooning some sauce on top of that. Or 2) Bake the crust a little bit, so it gets hard, and then put on the sauce and cheese.

Check it out online, it’s a cool book. It costs $22 on amazon. This is not a staple cookbook which I’m suggesting. If you want to try some fancy or hip dishes and learn some neat tricks, I suggest you buy it. The fact that it’s kosher only means that there won’t be any dishes which have meat and dairy together, and you won’t see certain ingredients — chiefly among them, any that come from the notorious chazer — pork, bacon, ham.

 

11 Amazing Things You Should Do With Tofu

All recipes can be found on allrecipes.com. Just type in the name of the recipe and it’ll come up! Enjoy!

 

1) Tofu Parmigiana

“Breaded tofu a la parmigiana. You’ll just about swear this is eggplant or veal! I have friend who loves it, and he doesn’t even suspect! Serve with a simple crisp green salad, angel hair pasta and garlic bread.”

2) Coconut Curry Tofu

A mix of three amazing flavors!

3) Tofu Lasagna

Another gluten-free alternative to this delicious dish!

4) Tofu Burger

Vegans! Get to the grill! Impress upon your friends that you aren’t “missing out!”

5) Tofu Tacos

Tuesday Tacos has had a serious revamp!

 

6) Tofu Turkey

The pilgrims could’ve been vegetarians!

7)Tofu and Veggies in Peanut Sauce

My Oh My…

8)

Grilled Tofu Skewers with Sriracha Sauce

Sriracha makes everything taste awesome.

9) Tofu Berry Smoothie

Tofu, Banana, Yogurt, Soy Milk, Rasberries, and Orange Juice.

So refreshing!

10) Baked Tofu

Keepin’ it simple.

And the last one…

11) Spicy Tofu Salad Bowl

Very lush

I Absolutely hate Parsley

I cannot stand it. People seem to like it; I don’t know how. It tastes terrible to me. Whenever I unknowingly eat it, a horrid feeling jars in my stomach, making it feel empty, but lined with a stingy green substance. Toothpaste and mouthwash taste btter than parsley. It tastes like poison. And the worst part is, that it totally and completely  takes over any dish that its put in. If there was chicken seasoned with parsley, the whole thing tastes like parsley!!! I can’t stand it. Its so potent and overwhelming. Sometimes I won’t know that a certain salad has parsley, and it looksfine to me, so I take a nice heaping load of it. I take the first bite…  and I have a mouthful of parsley. I wanna gag. And so many people like and use it, y’know?

My Kitchen and Cooking Techniques

When I make food, I usually make sandwiches. Its the food I want, and its the food I can make. In the morning, I usually make an egg sandwich or wrap. First things first I get out my wraps. They’re stored in the fridge in the same drawer where we store our deli and beer. I put it in the microwave for thirty seconds, or I just heat it over the stove flame. Then I get out of my fridge my condiments, mayo, ketchup, mustard, salsa, tomato sauce, sauerkraut. Whatever I’m in the mood of. I then reach for my frying pans, which is stored with all my other pots ‘n pans under the counter at a round turn-around drawer. I don’t watch chefs on TV to see how they cook. I just go for how I feel.  I don’t use cookbooks either; I’m making sandwiches I just go for what looks good at the moment. I would use anything to enhance my dish, really, I’m not too picky. Except for parsley, cilantro and maybe dill.

Food Memoir

Tiberias: A Tale of Two Suppers

The city of Tiberias, the city of water. Nestled between sandy valleys and bordered on the one side by the Kinneret Sea, the air here ought to be refreshing. Mercilessly, it is not. But the city offers other vices not to be found elsewhere. Tonight, we will be indulging ourselves in a high-end seafood restaurant.

When we arrive after waiting a good long while and the pledge of a pretty penny, our food is served. A tuna steak is placed in front of me. A small portion, I’d say. At least compared to a main dish that’d be served in most other places. In all honesty, the whole situation at this place we went to – there’s nothing to write home about. My father and I, equally displeased, hypothetically remarked how ‘a shwarma for fifteen shek would hit the spot’.

Now, in my mind, and I think my Father felt the same way, we didn’t actually intend to go and buy shwarmas after we had just spent a nice amount of money on all of those ‘exquisite’ dishes. But we were all taking a stroll up and down the busy street of the city and there it was: a shwarma joint. My Father said, “Hey Mendel, let’s go get a shwarma”. I shrugged my shoulders and grinned. “Why not?”

And so, we walked inside. A bearded man wearing black pants  and a white shirt, stood behind the counter. Now, I don’t like to put in too much in my shwarma. It gets too packed and it can fall apart.  Also, it can taste like you’re eating a chicken salad wrap or something. Which isn’t bad – at all; it’s just that sometimes, you know, you want to get that taste of chicken.

So, I ordered what I usually do: sautéed onions and some eggplant. And the pita I got smeared with samba. Handed to me thusly, I take hold of the hot package. The pita looks fresh; it has that airy, fluffy look like it just came out of the oven an hour ago. Everything is packed in their so comfortably; like a warm, fuzzy sleeping bag made of bread. The chicken is golden with spice, and pink with ripeness. The black and not-so-white eggplant is nestled right in with the brown and slightly transparent caramelized onion.

Steam wafts up to my nose carrying in it the smell of baked bread and chicken, strongly accented by the Middle Eastern scent of the shwarma spices. The onion adds in a sweet tinge. The pita was rugged and soft in my hands. The extra flour that had been put on it so it wouldn’t be so sticky makes it like that.

Alright, time to dig in. I take my first bite. The first thing which I felt was the warm-hot contrast of the pita and the actual shwarma. Along with that, was the soft-chewy contrast of the two. Both very comforting to the mouth and the soul. To taste that which I had been smelling so strongly before: the shwarma – was extremely gratifying.The eggplant and onions complimentary texture gave just the right moistness to counter the dry chiken and spice. And the samba, like a beautiful background, lifted the whole picture up by a thousand points. Its tangy, zesty, sweet and staggeringly Middle Eastern. I feel like I’m literally tasting a culture.

In the end I had two dinners that night in Tiberias. I’m glad I ate that shwarma then, even though I had just eaten. It was a tremendously satisfying one. Out of the two dinners, the winner is clear.

Hello world!

Unbelievable. My very own blog. I’m ecstatic. Electrified.