Comment 24 by CEVA34

"Are the selfish gene and survival of the species working at cross purposes here?"

Why is that idea surprising? Obviously the "behavior" of genes sometimes runs contrary to the survival of the species, otherwise all those extinct species wouldn't be extinct! Of course that excludes species exterminated by outside forces like climate.

Is this not more in line with the selfish genes guiding the survival of the species?

The ecosystem will only support a certain number of lions, so the surviving cubs will be the ones of the fathers who were there supporting them and maintaining their mothers' hunting territory.

The selfish genes of new dominant males, are not going to waste their time and efforts bringing up the cubs of the previous males, delaying and diverting resources from gene copies in their own offspring!