Invasive Ants Disrupt Kenyan Savannah Ecosystem, Impacting Lion Hunting Strategies

Big-headed ants displace native acacia ants, leading to a decline in tree cover and forcing lions to switch from hunting zebras to larger, more dangerous buffalo.

Invasive big-headed ants are disrupting the Kenyan savannah ecosystem by displacing native acacia ants, leading to a decline in whistling-thorn acacia trees, which provide cover for lions to hunt zebras.
Elephants, which are deterred from grazing on acacia trees by native ants, are causing significant damage to these trees in areas invaded by big-headed ants, leading to a more open habitat.
The decline in tree cover is making it harder for lions to ambush zebras, leading to a decrease in zebra kills and forcing lions to hunt larger and potentially more dangerous buffalo.
The big-headed ants are spreading at a rate of approximately 160 feet per year, potentially leading to further changes in the ecosystem and the hunting strategies of lions.
Despite the changes in their hunting strategies, the lion population in the affected areas has remained stable so far, but the long-term effects of the ant invasion are uncertain.

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