Ants' Impact on Lions' Prey Selection in Kenya

In Laikipia county, Kenya, an invasion of big-headed ants has disrupted the ecosystem, leading to a chain of consequences that has caused lions to switch from hunting zebras to hunting buffalo. The invasion has affected the relationship between whistling-thorn trees, native acacia ants, elephants, lions, zebras, and buffalo, illustrating a phenomenon called "trophic cascade." As a result, elephants are browsing and breaking trees more frequently in invaded areas, leading to a decrease in zebra kills and an increase in buffalo kills by lions.