ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Lek (mating arena)

Imagine you are at a playground and there are a bunch of kids playing. Now imagine that some of the kids are older and want to find a girlfriend or boyfriend. They might go to a special part of the playground where everyone knows that's the place to find a boyfriend or girlfriend. That special part of the playground is like a lek for animals.

In the animal world, a lek is a special place where animals go to find a mate. It might be a field, a tree or even a rock. Male animals, like birds or deer, will gather in this place to perform, show off, and impress female animals. They might sing, dance, make noises or even fight with each other to prove they are the strongest or the best. The females will watch and choose the male they like the most.

Sometimes, the males who are not chosen will keep trying day after day, because they really want to impress a female. That's why they go to the lek and perform every day. If they're lucky, they'll be chosen by a female and they'll mate, which means the female will get pregnant and have babies.

So, just like the special part of the playground where older kids go to find a boyfriend or girlfriend, a lek is a special place where animals go to find a mate. It's like a big show where everyone is trying to impress each other so they can find a mate and have babies.