Lion facts
Lion facts
Image source: Male
"Lion waiting in Namibia" by Kevin Pluck - Flickr: The King.. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via
Commons -
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lion_waiting_in_Namibia.jpg#/media/File:Lion_waiting_in_N
amibia.jpg
magnificent carnivore has always fascinated mankind, perhaps because man has often fallen-and still falls-prey to this king of beasts.
2. Male lions weigh about 190 kg and females about 130 kg. However, big males weighing a
staggering 250 kg have been recorded!
3. The average male stands 120 cm high at the shoulder and is between 250 to 320 cm in length,
from nose to tail tip.
4. The most distinctive feature of the male lion is its mane (thick hair that covers the head, neck and shoulders).
5. The roar of the lion is an impressive sound and perhaps the sound most associated with the
African wild.
6. Apart from roaring, lions also communicate by scent-marking their surroundings, and even by their facial expressions and body postures. Lions display their aggression by showing their
impressive canine teeth, retracting their ears and displaying the dark patch behind the ears,
their tails twitching in irritation. Anyone meeting a lion in this mood would be well advised to
beat a hasty retreat.
7. They can run up to 35 mph, but only for short distances. Once close enough, the lion uses
its paws and weight to knock down the quarry, then secures its meal with a bite in the throat or
neck. Food is now shared with the pride with the strongest eating first. The males eat until
satisfied, then the females and lastly the cubs.
8. Lions live in groups known as prides, comprised of from 4 to 37 individuals (average is 15),
with at least two males and several females. Lions are the only cats that live in family groups.
Image source: Female
"Okonjima Lioness" by Falense - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons -
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Okonjima_Lioness.jpg#/media/File:Okonjima_Lioness.jpg
10. The females hunt at dusk or night.
11. The lion's great physical strength puts it at the top of the food chain.
12. Lions rest or sleep up to 20 hours a day.
13. The lion's diet varies by region. It can include zebra, buffalo, giraffe, wildebeest, and carrion.
14. African Lions are a golden or tawny-brown colour and have large padded feet and retractable claws. The male lion has a mane which makes him look bigger than he actually is and protects his throat from the claws and teeth of other animals.
15. Because male lions are so big and have a full mane, they are often too slow and conspicuous
to be good hunters. The male lion protects the pride while the lionesses hunt. Male lions always
eat first.
16. A lion’s roar can be heard up to 8 km away.
17. Lions once occupied Asia from the Middle East to Eastern India. They are now extinct in their entire Asian range, except for a single isolated population of a few hundred in India’s Gir
Forest.
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