Do lions kill for pleasure

Answer 1

If we define sport as an exercise in skill and practice - yes. Many different species kill to teach their young how to hunt. The young often hunt and kill a specie they cannot eat. Example: Common house cats hunt and kill birds, then simply leave the dead body on the doorstep - without ever eating it.

Answer 2

I think the jury of scientists is still out on that question!

What is known, however, is that animals mostly kill for reasons of survival, their or their family - e.g. killing for food, practicing killing for food (Google 'Orca "Killer Whale" "Eider Duck"'), self-defense or defense of their "family" group. They may also kill to seize power (i.e. to be leader of the pack or pride).

At least one study of chimps (references? I forget off-hand) showed that they are also capable of pre-meditated murder, in the way of Macbeth, to seize power surreptitiously, and even of feigning grief when the body was found.

There are other examples of killing that currently defy explanation, e.g. Bottlenose Dolphins kill non-threatening porpoises.

Orca have also been observed to hunt penguins who die as they with them by tossing them into the air time and again, no so dissimilar to a cat playing with a mouse. But the Orca do not finish the game by making a meal of the penguin. Clearly, they appear to be playing with the penguins that die and that suggests there is pleasure in that for them; however, whilst the death of the penguin is part and parcel of the process, it cannot be said that the fun for the Orca is in the killing itself. But then, isn't that what is said about hunting with dogs, that the fun is in the hunt and not in the kill?

My personal opinion is that it is quite likely that some animals, or some individuals among a species, may well get pleasure just from killing, just as some humans derive pleasure from doing the same. We are, after all, animals and if some of us like killing form its own sake then it should not be surprising if others, especially some other primates, like it, too.

But it's not quite so straight forward as that for humans: It appears to some that many humans like to kill for the sake of it, such as hunters who kill game even though they have no need for the food. But there is a clear line between those who seem to clear for the pleasure in killing for its own sake between those who get pleasure in being good at killing efficiently. For example, I have spoken with professional deer stalkers whose pleasure comes with the stalking of the deer and in being able to kill cleanly with a single shot; it is not the death of the deer they celebrate but in their skill at causing the death in such a way that the deer knew nothing about it.

Answer 3

Humans ! Apart from some ape species, the human race is the only species that mates for pleasure !

Answer 4

Animals rarely kill or spend the energy to chase down and kill another animal for pleasure.