Description:

Male lions usually weigh between 150 and 250 kg. Large lions can reach 250 to 270 kg.
Females (lionesses) are usually 120 to 182 kg. The lion has a long body, short legs, large
claws, big head, and a yellowish-brown coat. mature male lions are the only cats with a
mane thatrange in color from blond to reddish-brown to black. The length
and color of a lion's mane is likely determined by age, genetics and
hormones. Young lions have light spotting on their coats that disappears as
they grow.

Reproduction
A lioness is ready to have young when she is 2–3 years old. Young lions are called cubs.
Cubs are born after 3 1⁄2 months. The cubs are born blind; their eyes do not open until they
are about a week old, and cannot see well until they are about two weeks old. A litter of 2-6
cubs are born. Usually, only 1-2 cubs survive. The lioness always hides the cubs. If the
hiding place has been seen by other predators, then the lioness will move the cubs to a new
hiding place. The cubs are very vulnerable when the lioness goes out to hunt and needs to
leave the cubs behind. Also, when a new male takes over a pride from another male, he
usually kills all of the cubs. The cubs' mothers will then mate with the new pride male, which
means that the first batch of new cubs will be his offspring.

Diet
Lions are carnivores, meaning their diet is made up of meat. They will eat pretty much every
animal they can prey upon, however mostly this tends to be buffalo, zebra, giraffe, warthog
and antelope species. They will also prey on the young of larger mammal species such as
rhino and elephant if the opportunity arises. Most of the animals preyed upon will weigh
between 50 to 300kg. Male lions on average can consume around 7kgs of meat per day, and
females around 4.5kg. Both can eat up to 15% of their body weight in just one meal! Lions
primarily eat large animals that weigh from 100 to 1,000 pounds (45 to 453 kilograms). In
times of shortage, they also catch and eat a variety of smaller animals, from rodents to
reptiles. Lions also steal kills from hyenas, leopards and other predators. At times, they may
lose their own catches to hyena groups. Lions may also feed on domestic livestock,
especially in areas near villages.

Herd
Lions are the world's most social felines. They live in groups of related females, called
prides, which may comprise several to as many as 40 individuals, including adults,
sub-adults (between the ages of 2 and 4) and cubs, plus one or more resident males.
Females usually stay in their mothers' prides for life, unless food scarcity forces them out.
Young males are driven from their prides when they grow large enough to compete with the
dominant males (usually between the ages of 2 and 4). They create coalitions, usually with
brothers and cousins, and search for a pride to take over.
The lions' roar is unique in each individual. It is used for territorial marking and warning off
other lions in separate prides (or lone individuals).

Origin/Habitat
Lions can live almost anywhere, having been recorded in open grasslands,
woodlands, thick bush, and thick, scrubby areas. Overall, lions have a relatively
broad habitat tolerance, being historically absent only from tropical rainforests and
very arid deserts. Lions are most active at night and live in a variety of habitats but prefer
grassland, savanna, dense scrub, and open woodland. Historically, they ranged across
much of Europe, Asia, and Africa, but now they are found mainly in parts of Africa south of
the Sahara. Lions can even be found on beaches (especially in Saadani National Park,
Tanzania, and on the Skeleton Coast in Namibia) and on mountain ridges

Life span
Lion lifespan is higher on average for females.In
the wild, a lioness may live up to
16 years, but males rarely live past the age of 12.

Conservation status
Lions are one of the most loved animals in the world and one of the biggest
drawcards for travelers to Africa. Unfortunately, with the illegal wildlife trade
booming, poachers lurking in the shadows, and trophy hunters paying
thousands of dollars to hunt them, lions are disappearing at an alarming
rate.
Some Facts About Lions in the Wild:
The lion population in Africa has decreased by 90% in the last century
There are currently only about 23,000 lions left in the wild
Lions are extinct in 26 countries across Africa
Lions are currently listed as “vulnerable” on the International Union for the
Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. In some
parts of Africa, lions are classified as “critically endangered” because lion
populations are still plummeting at an unprecedented rate.

It is also generally accepted that – across all age groups – most lions die in violent
circumstances. Lions are at greatest risk as cubs, with only 1 in 8 estimated to make it to
adulthood.

The average lifespan of the African Lion in the wild is 15 to 18 years, and 25 to 30 years in
human care.