Press Release
What's In A Mane? Find Out at The Wildlife Experience
DENVER - March 29, 2005 - An upcoming exhibit at The Wildlife Experience begs the question, What's in a Mane, a Lion's Mane? The answer to that question will be revealed in the upcoming exhibit, aptly named, The Lion’s Mane.
The Lion's Mane explores other questions, such as: "Why does the lion have a mane?" and "Does the King of Beasts need his mane for protection or is it a sign of his virility?" The benefits - and hazards - of a great head of hair is the core subject of this exhibit. The family-friendly exhibit features the breakthrough science of University of Minnesota lion researchers Craig Packer and Peyton West.
Contrary to popular theory that manes serve as protection for the king of beasts, Packer, a professor of ecology, evolution and behavior, and West, a graduate student, discovered manes are a visual signal of a lion's vigor and fitness. And the darker a male's mane, the more appealing it is to female lions. Through field experiments with dummy lions in wigs, Packer and West found males are intimidated by long, dark manes, while females are more attracted to them. Packer and West also found that offspring of males with dark manes are more likely to survive.
This exhibit enables visitors to learn about lion biology, behavior and the field research Packer and West utilized in their study. The show includes two complete lion specimens, a life-sized toy lion, photomurals, interpretive panels, interactive displays and a video program.
The Lion's Mane will be available for viewing starting March 26th and will close on May 15th. For further information, call (720) 488-3300 or visit thewildlifeexperience.org.
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