A symbol of strength, majesty, and fierceness, the lion is commonly called the “king of beasts.” It belongs to the cat family Felidae. It is the second largest member of its family after the tiger.

Where lions live

The present population of lions is limited to certain areas in Africa and India. At one time they were also found in Iran, southern Iraq, Syria, Arabia, and Europe.

Lions prefer grassy plains and open savanna. They are unique among cats in that they usually live in a group, or pride. A pride may consist of several generations of lionesses, all related to each other; their cubs; and one or two adult males. A pride may sometimes have as few as 4 or as many as 37 members, but the average number is 15.

Structure and form

The lion is a well-muscled cat with a long body, short legs, and a large head. The body's size and appearance are remarkably different for males and females. A full-grown male, including its tufted tail, measures about 9 to 10 feet (2.7 to 3 meters) and has a shoulder height of more than 3 feet (1 meter). An adult male lion can weigh about 370 to 500 pounds (170 to 230 kilograms). Its body is covered with short yellow-brown hair, and a coarse mane grows on its head, neck, and shoulders. This mane is the male lion's outstanding characteristic and makes the lion one of the few species whose gender can be recognized from a distance. The female is usually more slender and about a foot shorter than the male.

Like other cats, lions have soft padded feet with strong claws that can be drawn back into sheaths. The lion's loud, thunderous roar is the most terrifying voice of the grasslands. Lions usually roar in the evening or at dawn.

Hunting and food habits

The lionesses of a pride usually do most of the hunting. They hunt mainly during the night, spending most of the day sleeping or resting. Lions usually choose to hunt medium-to-large-sized animals such as zebra, wildebeest, impala, and other antelopes. The lion often hunts by hiding beside a water hole and then pouncing upon the shoulder or flank of a passing animal. A full-grown male lion can drag an animal as large as a horse in its jaws.

Sometimes a pride of 4 to 12 lions hunts together as a team and shares the kill. A lion can consume more than 75 pounds (34 kilograms) of meat in a single meal. If prey is abundant, both sexes typically spend about 20 hours a day resting, sleeping, or sitting and hunt for only 2 to 3 hours a day.

Life cycle

A captive lioness breeds once a year, and a lioness in the wild once every 18 to 26 months. A cub is born three months after the lioness mates. The litter can consist of one to six cubs, with an average of two to four. The mother guards its young ones jealously, not letting even the father approach them, as instinctively the father may kill even its own offspring.

Newborn cubs are about the size of a domestic cat. They have spots or stripes that normally disappear by the time they are 9 months old. At around 3 months, they are able to follow their mothers, and by 6 to 7 months they have been taught to get nourishment from sources other than nursing. At about 18 months, the mother begins to teach them to hunt. The mother growls and snarls at their clumsy and frantic mauling when they first try to make a kill. By 3 years of age, the male has a conspicuous mane.

Lions have a life span of about 25 years in captivity, whereas in the wild they seldom live more than 8 to 10 years.

In captivity, the lion has been encouraged to mate with other species of big cats. The offspring of a lion and a tigress is called a liger; that of a tiger and a lioness, a tigon; that of a leopard and a lioness, a leopon.

Relationship with humans

Humans have hunted the lion for many years as a way of displaying courage. Since the days of the Roman Empire, lions have been caged for circuses and zoos. Most lions that are exhibited have been born in captivity. Today lions are protected in game parks and reserves throughout the world.