after watching a video about African wildlife, a student notices that there were a lot of grasslands, hundreds of zebras (that eat grass) and relatively few lions (that eat animals like the zebra). The student then asks you, "since the lions are so big and fierce, why do they not just take over and become more in number than any other animals in the jungle?" What information could you offer this student as an explanation for why this doesn't happen? Write in words a 10-year-old can understand
Lions are indeed big and fierce, but there are a few reasons why they don't take over and become the most numerous animals in the grasslands.
Firstly, zebras are really good at staying together in big groups called herds. When there are many zebras together, it becomes difficult for lions to catch them because they have lots of eyes to watch out for danger. The zebras work together to protect each other and can even use their strong kicks to frighten the lions away.
Secondly, lions need a lot of food to survive. They eat other animals, and the number of animals in the grasslands is limited. If lions become too many, they will start eating too much, and eventually, there won't be enough food for all of them. So, nature kind of balances the number of lions by making sure there are not too many of them.
Lastly, lions can have a tough time raising their cubs. They have to protect their babies from other predators and find enough food to feed them. It takes a lot of time and energy. If there are too many lions, it becomes even harder for them to take care of all their cubs properly.
Overall, even though lions are big and fierce, other animals like zebras have strategies to stay safe and keep their numbers higher. Nature has its own way of balancing things so that not one species becomes too dominant.